Smprimatur:  -f^ij^'^b 


^  James  Card.  Gibbons, 

Archiep.  Baltimorensis. 


Baltimorae,  die  26  Aprilis,  1904. 


Copyright,  1907,  by 
Rev.  Charles  J.  Judge,  S.  S. 


HIS  MISSION. 

*Twas  not  for  gain  of  glittering  gold,  he  trod 

Alaska's  frozen  loin; 
Nay,  but  the  superscription  of  their  God, 

On  colder  hearts  to  coin. 

John  B.  Tabs. 


THE  compiler  of  this  book,  Fr.  Charles  J.  Judge, 
S.  S.,  has  gone  to  his  eternal  reward. 
Those  who  knew  this  saintly  Sulpician  feel  that  he 
is  now  in  the  companionship  of  the  apostolic  brother 
whose  life  he  revealed  for  the  edification  of  so  many 
appreciative  readers.  Catholic  and  non-Catholic,  in 
this  country. 

Yet  we  beg  a  prayer  for  his  soul,  as  he  would  have 
us  do;  for  God  alone  is  the  searcher  of  hearts. 

The  Directors 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Society. 


CONTENTS. 

Introduction ix 

Preface  to  the  Second  Edition xiii 

Preface xvii 

CHAPTER   I.                                Page. 
The  Preparation 1 

CHAPTER  11. 
The   Priesthood 8 

CHAPTER  HI. 
The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission 16 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Off  for  Alaska 28 

CHAPTER  V. 
On  the  Yukon 47 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Forty  Mile  Post  and  Circle  City 128 

CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Rush  to  the  Klondike 189 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Dawson  City 200 

CHAPTER  IX. 
His  Death   and  Funeral 255 

CHAPTER  X. 
Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection        ....    278 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Portrait   of   Father   Judge        ....        Frontispiece. 

FACING   PAGE 

;ollege  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  Woodstock,  Md.  4 

Souvenir  of  the   Rocky   Mountain    Missions    ...      22 

Unalaska 32 

St.    Michael,    Alaska  48 

Alaskan   Missionary   in   Winter   Costume  ...      64 

Anvik,    Yukon   River Tl 

Archbishop  Charles  J.  Seghers,  the  Apostle  of  Alaska     .      95 

Nulato,    Yukon    River 105 

Yukon  River  in  Winter 121 

Forty  Mile  Post 128 

Holy    Cross    Mission 145 

An  Eskimo  and  His  Kyak 177 

Dawson  City  in   the   oummer  of   1898— Catholic  Church 

and   St.   Mary's   Hospital 200 

The  First  Catholic  Church  in  Dawson      .        .        .        .203 

Summer  Work  at  the  Mines 214 

Front   Street,  Dawson 217 

Bird's-eye    View    of    Dawson    City — Catholic    Church    in 

right    foreground 240 

Captain  Jack   Crawford 251 

Interior  of  St.  Mary's  Church— Tomb  of  Father  Judge  277 
Map  of  Alaska,  showing  Yukon  River  Missions  and  the 

Klondike       ,  At    end. 


INTRODUCTION. 

THIS  biography,  from  the  pen  of  one  who 
is  in  complete  sympathy  with  his  sub- 
ject, will  prove  to  be,  it  is  hoped,  for  the 
young  Levite  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall, 
an  incentive  to  Apostolic  zeal. 

Reared  in  a  family  in  which  the  Christian 
virtues  were,  in  all  patience  and  meekness, 
daily  practised  as  a  matter  of  course,  what 
to  others  might  have  appeared  unusual,  Wil- 
liam H.  Judge  deemed  not  extraordinary; 
what  to  others  might  have  had  the  appear- 
ance of  the  heroic,  he  aspired  to  as  but  a  step 
above  the  ordinary.  Whatever  duties  he 
was  assigned  to  he  fulfilled  to  the  best  of  his 
powers,  but  throughout  his  life  there  was 
the  undercurrent  of  the  missionary's  zeal. 
Truly  he  might  say,  "  Zelus  domus  tuae  corn- 
edit  me."* 

Nothing  daunted  by  the  hardships  that  a 
life  in  the  far  Northwest  most  certainly  had 
in  store  for  the  venturesome  soul  that  en- 
tered its  icy  confines,  he  hailed  with  delight 

*  "  The  zeal  of  thy  house  hath  eaten  me  up."— Ps.  Ixviii,  10. 
iz 


X  An  American  Missionary 

the  command  to  go  and  preach.  The  story 
of  his  work,  its  sufferings,  its  privations,  its 
disappointments,  its  consolations  and  joys,  is 
here  told  by  one  eminently  fitted  for  the 
labor  of  love. 

What  I  w^ould  particularly  ask  the  reader 
to  note  is  the  tone  of  cheerfulness  which 
characterizes  the  letters  of  Father  Judge^ 
These,  we  may  believe,  reflect  the  spirit  df 
joy  which  illumined  his  soul  ever,  in  spite  of 
the  dark  days  of  hardship  and  privation 
through  which  he  passed.  In  this  we  find  a 
lesson.  The  true  missionary's  life  is  not  one 
of  sadness  and  brooding  over  what,  to  the 
world,  would  seem  a  sad  lot.  His  life  is 
hidden  in  God.  Is  he  successful,  God  be 
praised;  is  he  unsuccessful,  God  be  praised 
none  the  less.  This  joyful  spirit  in  the  midst 
of  what  is  calculated  to  produce  the  opposite 
effect  is  characteristic  of  those  generous, 
holy  souls  whose  life  reads  "  per  Ipsum,  et 
cum  Ipso,  et  in  Ipso  est  Tibi  Deo  Patri  Om- 
nipotenti  in  unitate  Spiritus  Sancti,  omnis 
honor  et  gloria."* 

He  who  would  follow  in  the  footsteps  of 
Father  Judge,  in  the  like  spirit  of  patience 
and  meekness,  may  confidently  expect,  even 
in  this  Hfe,  peace  and  tranquility  of  soul  oc- 

*  Through  Him,  and  with  Him,  and  in  Him  is  to  Thee  God 
the  Father  Omnipotent  in  the  unity  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  all 
honor  and  glory. — Canon  of  the  Mass. 


Introduction  xi 

casionally  brightened  by  the  sweetest  conso- 
lation, according  to  the  promises  of  our 
Lord,  of  a  hundredfold  even  in  this  life. 

May  this  biography  inspire  other  gener- 
ous souls  to  take  up  the  burden  from  which 
God  has  called  Father  Judge  to  his  reward. 
This,  I  think,  is  the  main  purpose  of  this 
book — "  Ut  Ecclesia  Dei  aedificationem  ac- 
cipiat."* 

J.  Card.  Gibbons. 

Baltimore,  June  loth,  1904. 

*  "  That  the  Church  may  receive  edification." — I.  Cor.  xiv,  5. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

TTHE  kindly  reception  accorded  ''An 
•*•  American  Missionary  "  has  cheered  and 
encouraged  the  editor.  The  little  volume 
has  given  pleasure  and  edification  even  be- 
yond his  expectations.  That  this  pleasure 
and  edification  may  be  extended  to  others 
and  perpetuated  is  sufficient  reason  for  of- 
fering to  the  public  this  second  edition. 

We  take  this  opportunity  to  thank  Arnold 
F.  George,  of  Dawson,  J.  W.  Crawford 
(Capt.  Jack) — the  well-known  Lecturer  — 
C.  H.  Higgins  of  Steelton,  Pa.,  and  E.  C. 
Gerow  of  Seattle,  for  their  assistance  in  fill- 
ing out  the  narrative,  and  E.  A.  Hegg  of 
Seattle,  for  permission  to  use  photographs. 
A  happy  result  of  the  publication  of  Father 
Judge's  letters,  has  been  to  bring  us  into 
communication  with  some  of  his  old  Klon- 
dike friends,  and  to  elicit  further  expressions 
of  their  love  and  admiration  for  the  Mis- 
sionary. 

These  and  other  communications  have 
given  us  the  comforting  assurance  that  our 
effort  to  tell  the  simple  truth  without  frater- 
nal bias  has  been  successful.    The  following 

xiii 


xiv  An  American  Missionary 

words  of  the  editor  of  the  Dawson  Daily 
News  show  that,  if  we  have  erred,  it  has 
been  on  the  right  side:  ''I  fancy  .  .  from 
the  tenor  of  your  whole  letter,  that  you  are 
being  made  a  convert.  I  mean  that  your 
correspondence  with  those  like  myself,  who 
had  the  felicity  of  a  personal  acquaintance 
with  your  brother  in  the  last  years  of  his  life, 
has  not  been  without  its  effect  ....  You 
are  now  reaching  the  point  of  view  of  some- 
one outside  of  the  family.  The  love  and  ad- 
miration of  a  brother  or  sister  ....  is  a 
beautiful  thing,  but  altogether  a  different 
thing  from  the  sentiment  of  love  Father 
Judge  inspired  in  the  thousands  here  .... 
It  was  of  the  nature  of  reverence,  and  those 
who  knew  him  most  intimately  experienced 
the  most  of  this  reverence. 

So  I  fancy  in  future  editions  of  the  book 
I  shall  see  more  of  the  same  spirit  as  my 
own,  and  less  of  the  brotherly  diffidence  no- 
ticeable in  the  first  edition.  I  realize,  after 
all,  that  though  a  brother's  touch  may  be 
most  truly  loving,  there  are  curbs,  checks, 
and  bounds.  So  let  me  suggest  that  brother- 
ly apprehension  lest  too  much  be  said,  while 
indicating  family  modesty,  is  not  necessary 
in  the  case  of  Father  Judge.  The  most  that 
family  and  personal  love  could  dictate  in 
affectionate  adulation,  would  yet  come  far 
short  of  the  general  estimate  here.  " 


Preface  xv 

There  is  then  reason  to  hope  that  it  will 
now  do  the  work  no  injury,  for  the  public  to 
know  that  it  is  edited  by  "  my  brother's 
brother.  "  A  source  of  great  satisfaction 
is  the  fact  that  this  edition  is  published  by 
and  for  the  benefit  of  the  Catholic  Foreign 
Mission  Bureau  of  Boston.  Thus,  Father 
Judge  will  still  be  working  for  the  Missions; 
the  usefulness  of  his  words  and  labors  will 
not  have  ended  with  his  short  missionary 
career. 


St.  Charles'  CJolliok,  Bfo. 
Fea$t  of  the  Aatumption,  August  15th,  1901. 


PREFACE. 


"  God  speaks  to  us  still,  as  He  spoke  to  our  forefathers. 
-Fr.  Caussade. 


TO  the  youth  of  America,  who  feel  them- 
selves called  to  the  Priesthood  or  the 
religious  life,  this  narrative  is  dedicated,  in 
the  hope  that  it  may  cheer  them  on  their 
way,  and  encourage  them  in  times  of  diffi- 
culty. It  is  the  simple  story  of  one  like 
themselves,  born  in  the  same  circumstances, 
living  for  years  in  the  same  everyday  world, 
and  encountering  the  same  difficulties  that 
they  may  encounter  in  corresponding  to  the 
call  of  God.  Yet,  with  all  this  absence  of 
the  extraordinary,  there  is  evidence  in  this 
life,  of  a  call  from  God,  of  a  heavenly  voca- 
tion, and  of  the  divine  assistance  for  its 
perfect  accomplishment. 

Is  it  not  a  happiness  to  think  that,  in  the 
midst  of  this  work-a-day  world  of  ours, 
amidst  the  bustle  of  city  life  or  the  humble 
occupations  of  an  ordinary  home,  "  God 
speaks  to  us  still,  as  He  spoke  to  our  fore- 
fathers"? Yes,  He  speaks  to  us  as  He 
spoke  to  the  Saints  whose  lives  we  read  with 
awe  and  admiration. 


xviii  An  American  Missionary 

If  we  look  around  us,  as  we  gass  through 
the  crowded  street,  or  enter  the  busy  store 
or  the  trolley-car,  we  see  youths  or  maidens 
who,  to  all  appearance,  are  occupied  with 
temporal  business  or  intent  on  pleasure;  but 
could  we  look  into  some  of  those  hearts,  how 
our  impressions  would  change  !  We  would 
find  that  there  is  One,  Who  is  omnipotent, 
Who  is  divinely  benignant,  knocking  at  the 
door,  and  calling  to  those  souls  to  give  them- 
selves to  Him,  and  His  knocking  is  not 
always  disregarded,  His  call  is  not  always 
rejected.  There  may  be  clouds  of  doubt, 
there  may  be  obstacles  innumerable,  but 
the  voice  of  God  is  potent  in  its  goodness, 
and  in  its  patient  condescension.  The 
Word  of  God  that  thus  speaks  to  a  soul  is 
light  and  life,  as  St.  John  sa3^s:  "  In  the  be- 
ginning was  the  Word In  him  was 

life  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men."  * 

Little  by  little  the  light  enters  the  soul  of 
a  youth,  and  gradually  new  vistas  open, 
paths  to  him  untrodden,  which  lead  to  great 
and  good  things,  to  God  and  heaven.  Then 
with  the  light  come  strength  and  courage; 
and,  after  a  time,  his  young  heart  feels  that 
no  prospect  of  difficulty  or  sacrifice  can  deter 
it  from  following  the  gracious  call  of  the 
Lord;  no  temporal  pleasure,  no  earthly 
happiness     can    have    any    weight,    when 

*  St  John  i,  1,  4. 


Preface  xix 

balanced  against  the  joy  of  doing  the  will 
of  God. 

Hence  we  see  the  young  man  or  the  young 
woman  quitting  gladly  what  others  may 
look  upon  as  bright  prospects,  but  which 
these  favored  souls  consider  only  as  liga- 
ments, which  would  bind  them  too  closely 
to  this  lower  world,  and  from  which  they 
are  glad  to  be  free.  They  feel  in  greater  or 
I'^ss  degree  the  noble  sentiment  which  the 
Church  attributes  to  St.  Henrv,  Emperor  of 
Germany,  when  she  says  of  him,  "  Not  con- 
tent with  the  narrow^  limits  of  a  temporal 
kingdom,  he  sedulously  served  the  Eternal 
King,  in  order  to  obtain  the  crown  of  im- 
mortalitv,"  and  that  other,  expressed  by  St. 
Stanislaus  Kostka  in  these  words:  "I  was 
not  born  for  temporal  things,  but  for  eter- 
nal." 


St.  Charles'  College,  Md. 
Feast  of  the  Sacred  Eeart,  June  10th,  1904. 


CHAPTER    I. 

THE  PREPARATION. 

*'  Speak,  Lord,  for  Thy  servant  heareth." — /  Kings,  Hi,  10. 

J  WAS  in  Paris,  in  1875,  when  I  received  a 
letter  from  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  in 
which  he  informed  me  that  permission  had 
been  given  him  to  go  to  the  Jesuit  Novitiate 
at  Frederick,  Md.  ''  It  was  the  happiest  day 
of  my  Hfe,"  he  wrote,  ''  for  you  know  that 
ever  since  the  time  of  my  First  Communion, 
I  have  wished  to  enter  the  Society."  "  I 
knew  no  such  thing,"  I  said  to  myself;  for 
I  had  not  been  aware  that  he  thought  of  the 
priesthood,  or  of  entering  the  Society  of 
Jesus.  However,  I  was  pleased  to  hear  that, 
he  was  thus  able  to  take  the  first  step 
towards  realizing:  his  long-cherished  desire. 
One  element  in  his  joy  was  the  fact  that  he 
had  found  he  was  not,  as  he  had  supposed, 
too  old  to  begin  the  preparation. 

Born  in  Baltimore,  April  28th,  1850, 
William  Henry  Jud'^e  was  twenty-five  years 
pld  when  he  was  admitted  to  the  Novitiate. 
About  ten  years  before,  he  had  begun  to 
study  at  Loyola  College,  Baltimore:  but, 
after  one  year,  he  was  obliged  to  quit  his 

1 


2  An  American  Missionary 

studies  for  an  occupation  better  suited  to  the 
state  of  his  health.  For  ten  years  he  was  an 
active  clerk  in  one  of  the  largest  planing- 
mills  of  Baltimore.  Here  he  gained  a 
practical  knowledge  of  woodwork  and  of 
building,  which  afterwards  in  his  missionary 
career  he  found  vastly  useful. 

What  was  going  on  in  his  soul  during 
those  years  of  business  life  appears  in  some 
lines  which  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  brothers 
in  March,  1874.  ''  You  spoke  of  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  which  you  experienced  in 
church  the  Saturday  evening  following  the 
reception  of  A's  letter  and  mine,  both  of 
which  contained  much  concerning  N's  recep- 
tion and  my  intention  of  soon  following  her 
example.  This  naturally  made  you  think  as 
you  did;  and  I  do  not  know  any  better  time 
or  place  for  serious  reflection,  than  Saturday 
night  in  church.  There  in  the  stillness  of 
the  night,  by  the  dim  light  of  the  Sanctuary 
lamp,  we  see  our  intentions,  as  well  as  the 
pride  and  ambition  of  the  world,  much  more 
clearly  than  at  almost  any  other  time.  I 
have  often,  when  in  the  Cathedral  or  the  Col- 
lege (St.  Ignatius  Church)  at  that  time, 
thought:  'Here  another  week  has  passed, 
and  now  that  it  is  gone  what  difference  does 
it  make  whether  it  has  passed  pleasantly,  or 
I  have  had  many  trials  and  much  worry  and 
trouble,  if  my  conscience  does  not  reproach 


The   Preparation  3 

me  with  having  misspent  it':  and  I  judge 
that  we  shall  feel  very  much  the  same,  when 
we  come  to  look  back  on  our  whole  life,  for 
the  last  time."  The  reception  spoken  of  in 
his  letter  was  that  of  one  of  his  sisters,  who 
entered  the  convent  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy 
on  the  same  day  that  another  sister  made  her 
profession  as  a  religious  of  the  Good  Shep- 
herd. 

As  time  wore  on,  he  resumed  his  studies, 
as  far  as  his  duties  at  the  office  would  permit. 

No  wonder  that  after  ten  years  of  longing 
and  suspense,  his  heart  bounded  with  joy  and 
gratitude  when,  on  August  23,  1875,  he  was 
admitted  into  the  Novitiate  at  Frederick. 
The  years  of  prayer  and  study  which  fol- 
lowed, were  happy  ones  for  him;  indeed, 
from  that  time,  he  was  always  joyous:  for 
we  shall  see  that,  even  amid  the  hardships 
of  the  Alaskan  Mission,  he  usually  ended  his 
letters  with  the  expression,  "  I  am  well  and 
happy."  In  truth,  what  happiness  can  com- 
pare with  that  of  being  in  the  way  of  one's 
vocation,  of  feeling  sure  that  he  is  doing 
God's  will,  and  that  consequently  he  is  on 
the  road  to  peace  and  usefulness  in  this  life, 
and  eternal  happiness  in  the  next: — "Qui 
facit  voluntatem  Dei  manet  in  aeternum."* 
He  said  to  one  of  his  brothers,  that  he  had  for 

*"He    that    doeth    the    will    of    God,    abideth    forever."— 
I  John,  a,  17. 


4r  An  American  Missionary 

years  pictured  to  himself  the  happiness  of 
the  Novitiate,  but  that  he  had  never  thought 
it  v^as  so  great  as  he  found  it  to  be. 

His  novitiate  and  juniorate  over,  the 
young  Jesuit  taught  for  three  years  in  Gon- 
zaga  College,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  gave  a 
year  to  the  study  of  philosophy  at  Wood- 
stock; acted  as  prefect  and  teacher  in 
Georgetow^n  College,  for  a  year;  and  then,  in 
1883,  returned,  for  the  study  of  theology,  to 
the  great  House  of  Studies,  the  College  of 
the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  at  Woodstock, 
Md. 

Here,  again,  his  heart  must  have  been  filled 
with  gratitude  to  God  for  his  vocation,  and 
for  the  privilege  of  studying  in  a  place  so 
well  fitted  to  foster  the  spirit  of  so  high  a 
calling.  Even  a  casual  visitor  to  Wood- 
stock would  pronounce  it  an  ideal  place  for 
study,  elevated  as  it  is  high  above  the  wind- 
ing Patapsco  and  the  railroad,  and  separated 
thus  from  the  ordinary  world.  The  student 
is  aided  by  his  very  surroundings  to  raise  his 
mind  to  heaven ;  and  yet,  as  he  casts  his  eye, 
from  time  to  time,  far  down  to  the  river,  the 
little  village,  and  the  rushing  trains,  he  is 
reminded  that,  as  a  priest  of  God,  he  is  to 
live  not  for  himself  alone,  but  for  the  up- 
lifting, and  the  salvation  of  his  neighbor. 

In  September,  1883,  William  Judge  wrote: 


The   Preparation  5 

"  I  am  glad  to  be  back  at  Woodstock  again, 
and  if  all  goes  well,  I  hope  to  be  ordained 
two  years  from  next  Easter.  We  have  a  very 
large  community  this  year,  a  splendid  body 
of  young  men,  and  I  expect  a  very  happy 
time."  Later  in  the  rame  year,  he  shows 
how  he  was  beginning  to  combine  fraternal 
affection  with  zeal  for  a  brother's  spiritual 
good.  *'  I  cannot  tell  you  how  glad  it  makes 
me  to  find  you  so  comfortable  and  happy,  but 
especially  to  see  3^ou,  while  you  are  enjoying 
these  blessings,  laying  up  for  yourself  an 
eternal  reward  by  the  faithful  practice  of 
your  religious  duties.  At  the  same  time,  by 
your  good  example,  you  are  forming  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  your  little  ones  to  the 
love  and  esteem  of  virtue;  thus  giving  them 
a  treasure  as  much  greater  than  the  goods 
of  this  world,  as  heaven  is  above  earth." 

Busy  years  were  those  of  the  scholasticate : 
the  time  wisely  divided  between  study  and 
prayer,  with  hours  of  recreation  and  rest  in- 
terspersed. Although  some  may  wonder 
how  so  long  a  preparation  is  required  to  fit 
the  scholastic  or  the  seminarian  for  his  work, 
the  initiated  find,  as  did  the  future  mission- 
ary at  Woodstock,  that  the  days  of  twenty- 
four  hours,  are  only  too  short. 

Finally  the  great  day  of  ordination  to  the 
Holy  Priesthood  arrived.     On  August  28th, 


6  An  American  Missionary 

1886,  William  H.  Judge,  with  a  number  of 
his  fellow  scholastics,  received  the  sacred 
order  of  the  Priesthood  from  the  hands  of 
Archbishop  Gibbons,  in  the  beautiful  chapel 
of  the  College  at  Woodstock. 

Thus,  after  eleven  years  of  prayer  and 
study,  the  young  Jesuit  found  himself 
clothed  with  the  character  and  blessed  with 
the  powers  and  the  graces  of  the  Priesthood. 
He  would  have  been  content  to  be  even  a 
Brother  in  the  Society  of  Jesus,  but  he  found 
his  good-will  rewarded  with  that  superem- 
inent  gift  which  raises  a  mortal  man  so 
near  to  God,  his  Savior.  Jesus  says  to  all 
His  priests,  as  He  did  to  His  Apostles:  "  I 
will  not  now  call  you  servants,  for  the  ser- 
vant knoweth  not  what  his  lord  doeth.  But 
T  have  called  you  friends,  because  all  things 
whatsoever  I  have  heard  from  my  Father,  I 
have  made  known  to  you."* 

The  young  priest  feels  the  truth  of  these 
words  of  St.  Ephrem :  ''  O  tremendous  mys- 
tery of  the  Priesthood,  spiritual  and  holy, 
venerable  and  blameless,  which  Christ,  com- 
ing into  this  world,  has  bestowed  even  upon 
the  unworthy  !  On  bended  knee,  with  tears 
and  si^hs,  T  beg  that  we  consider  this  treas- 
ure of  the  Priesthood.  A  treasure  it  is  for 
those  who  worthily  and  holily  eruard  it.  It 
is  a  bright  and  incomparable  shield,  a  firm 

♦St.  John  XV,  15. 


The  Preparation  7 

tower,  an  impregnable  wall,  a  solid  and 
stable  structure  reaching:  from  earth  to  the 
heights  of  heaven."^ 

t  Sermon  of  St.  Eohrem  the  Deacon— De  Sacerdotio. 


CHAPTER    11. 

THE  PRIESTHOOD. 

"  If  I  were  to  meet  a  priest  and  an  angel,  I  would  salute 
the  priest  before  the  angel ;  for  the  angel  is  the  friend  of 
God,  but  the  priest  holds  His  place." — Cure  of  Ars. 

nPHE  reception  of  the  Holy  Priesthood  was 
*  a  joy  not  only  for  the  young  levite,  but 
also  for  his  relatives.  One  of  his  brothers  was 
present  on  the  solemn  occasion,  but  others 
who  could  not  enjoy  that  favor,  awaited  his 
coming  to  receive  his  blessing  and  assist  at 
his  Mass.  It  must  have  been  especially  con- 
soling for  him  to  visit  his  sisters  in  their 
convent  homes  and  to  offer  the  Holy  Sacri- 
fice in  those  sanctuaries,  where  faith  and 
love  spare  no  pains  to  render  the  altar  and 
its  surroundings  worthy  of  the  Divine  Visi- 
tor, who  comes  at  the  consecration. 

After  a  few  days  passed  in  holy  joy  and 
thanksgiving.  Father  Judge  took  up  his  ap- 
pointed work  as  Minister  at  Woodstock. 

No  doubt,  in  selecting  Father  Judge  for 
this  important  of^ce,  his  superiors  wished  to 
utilize  his  experience  in  the  world;  and  in 
this,  they  were  not  disappointed.    The  young 

8 


The  Priesthood  9 

Minister  threw  his  whole  heart  into  the 
work  of  superintending  the  great  House  of 
Studies,  and  of  ministering  to  the  wants  of 
his  brethren,  with  earnest  zeal  and  cheerful 
alacrity. 

Any  one  acquainted  with  such  Institu- 
tions knows  how  heavy  is  the  task  of  the 
Minister,  or,  as  he  is  called  in  some  places, 
the  Procurator  or  Treasurer;  what  patience 
and  benignity  he  needs  to  meet  properly  the 
thousand  and  one  demands  of  perhaps  two 
or  three  hundred  persons.  Yet  this  active 
life  of  business,  charity,  and  zeal  seemed  to 
have  a  charm  for  the  young  priest.  He 
thought  he  had  found  his  life-work  in  the 
fruitful  labors  of  a  "  Minister  " ;  but  he  was 
not  to  stay  long  amid  the  charming  scenes 
and  studious  associations  of  the  College  of 
the  Sacred  Heart. 

However,  the  years  that  he  spent  there  as 
Minister,  were  no  bad  apprenticeship  to  the 
life  of  active  charity  and  zeal  which  he  was 
later  to  lead  as  a  Missionary. 

As  an  instance  of  the  cheerfulness  with 
which  Father  Judge  gave  himself  up  to  this 
labor  of  love,  we  may  mention  an  excursion 
of  the  vacation  time.  According  to  custom, 
a  number  of  Novices,  or  Juniors,  from  the 
house  in  Frederick,  were  spending:  their 
weeks  of  relaxation  at  Woodstock.  To  varv 
their  recreation,  an  excursion  to  the  grounds 


10  An  American  Missionary 

of  St.  Charles'  College,  some  five  miles  off, 
was  arranged  for  them.  The  Father  Min- 
ister accompanied  the  young  men,  and  spent 
the  day  with  them  joyously  and  obligingly. 
To  the  west  of  the  College  campus  is  a  fine 
wood  of  oak,  chestnut,  and  hickory.  Here 
the  excursionists  estabhshed  themselves  and, 
as  n©on  approached,  prepared  their  rustic 
dinner.  A  two-horse  team  had  brought  all 
that  was  necessary,  even  down  to  the  pepper 
and  salt  for  the  soup,  and  the  sauce  for  the 
slapjacks.  Little  stone  furnaces  were  im- 
provised, and  soon  soup  w^as  simmering, 
potatoes  boiling,  and  beefsteak  frying.  It 
was  a  pleasant  sight  to  see  the  Rev.  Minister 
moving  among  the  impromptu  cooks,  cheer- 
ing them  with  his  joyous  activity,  and  taking 
a  generous  share  in  the  work.  One  of  the 
faculty  of  St.  Charles',  who  was  invited  to 
join  the  company,  declared  that  he  had  never 
before  eaten  such  slapjacks  as  those  cooked 
on  that  occasion  by  Father  Judge.  This  was 
a  prelude  to  the  good  work  that  he  did  later 
on  for  the  inmates  of  his  hospital  in  Dawson. 

After  two  years,  Father  Judge  was  sent  to 
the  Novitiate  at  Frederick,  there  to  exercise 
the  same  useful  functions  that  had  claimed 
all  his  devotion  at  Woodstock. 

About  this  time  he  wrote  to  his  youngest 
sister,  who  was  not  yet  settled  in  her  voca- 
tion.    The  letter  discloses  his  love  for  the 


The  Priesthood  11 

religious  life,  and  also  his  desire  to  go  to  the 
Western  Missions. 

Woodstock  College, 
Woodstock,  Howard  Co.,  Md.,  July  3,  1888. 
Dear  Sister, 

Pax  Christi  ! 

I  received  your  letter  of  June  24th  a  few- 
days  ago,  but  I  have  been  so  very  busy  that 
it  was  impossible  to  answer  sooner.  I  think 
you  overlooked  one  clause  in  my  last  letter, 
for  I  think  I  said  "  if  you  were  once  settled 
in  the  cloister,  I  would  be  less  anxious  about 
writing  to  you,"  because  then  you  would  not 
need  my  letters.  But  while  you  are  in  your 
present  state,  I  shall  do  my  best  to  repair  my 
past  want  of  regularity  in  writing  to  you, 
especially  as  you  tell  me  my  letters  encour- 
age you  to  go  on  more  courageously  in  the 
service  of  our  dear  Lord,  and  therefore  any 
time  I  can  steal  from  my  work  for  that  pur- 
pose, will  be  well  spent. 

Since  receiving  your  letter,  I  have  redou- 
bled my  prayers  in  your  behalf,  and  I  shall 
not  rest  until  I  see  you  safe  in  the  cloister,  or 
perfectly  happy,  as  far  as  one  can  be  happy 
in  this  land  of  exile.  Why  do  you  hesitate? 
Do  as  I  did  at  the  time  of  ordination.  With 
good  reason,  T  was  unwilling  to  take  the  re- 


12  An  American  Missionary 

sponsibility  on  myself,  so  I  left  it  entirely  to 
my  superiors  to  say  what  I  should  do,  and 
they  said,  ''  Go  ahead,  we  take  the  responsi- 
bility." Now,  no  matter  how  unfit  I  find 
myself,  I  have  no  anxiety,  for  I  feel  sure  that 
in  following  their  advice,  I  did  what  God 
wished  and  that  He  will  turn  all  to  His  own 
glory,  and  my  good.  I  shall  say  Mass  for 
you  to-morrow,  and  again  next  Sunday, 
which  will  be  the  8th,  and  after  that,  I  shall 
say  it  for  you  every  Friday,  until  we  obtain 
from  the  Sacred  Heart  for  you  that  peace 
which  can  come  from  It  alone. 

I  shall  also  make  a  novena  to  St.  John 
Berchmans,  who,  you  know,  was  canonized 
at  the  time  of  the  Pope's  Jubilee,  hoping  the 
Sacred  Heart  will  grant  our  petition  more 
readily  when  presented  by  one  whom  He  has 
been  pleased  to  raise  so  lately  to  the  honors 
of  the  Altar.  We  should  derive  great  con- 
solation from  the  canonization  of  St. 
Berchmans,  because  all  his  sanctity  consisted 
in  doing  his  ordinary  actions  with  great 
purity  of  intention,  which  is  so  easy,  and 
adds  nothing  to  the  burden  of  life,  but  rather 
lightens  it  very  much,  since  nothing  seems 
hard  to  do  for  one  we  love. 

Our  Provincial  has  lately  been  changed, 
and  I  have  renewed  my  request  for  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Missions,  and  it  has  been  more 
favorably  received  than  by  the  late  Provin- 


The  Priesthood  13 

cial,  but  I  have  not  received  a  positive  answer 
yet.  If  I  am  allowed  to  go,  I  may  pass  your 
way;  and,  if  possible,  I  shall  get  permission 
to  see  you.  I  expect  an  answer  within  a  few 
weeks,  and  I  shall  let  you  know  the  result  as 
soon  as  I  hear. 

In  concluding,  I  beg  you  to  put  yourself 
entirely  in  the  hands  of  your  superiors,  re- 
ceiving as  the  certain  will  of  God  whatever 
they  determine. 

I  must  stop,  it  is  now  eleven  P.  M.,  and  my 
alarm  goes  off  at  a  quarter  before  four.  I 
need  not  tell  you  that  I  am  very  happy, 
thanks  to  the  goodness  of  God;  not  that  I 
have  nothing  to  trouble  me  —  for  I  have  had 
no  end  of  causes  of  worry  and  vexation  in  the 
management  of  a  big  community  like  this — 
but  I  know  that  no  matter  what  happens,  it 
is  God's  will  it  should  be  so,  and  therefore  I 
would  not  wish  it  to  be  otherwise  on  any 
account. 

Begging  you  to  pray  often  for  me,  and  to 
thank  our    dear  Lord  for  all  his  goodness  to 
one  so  unworthy,  I  must  say  good-by. 
Your  loving  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

Another  year  passed  before  he  obtained 
leave  to  go  to  the  Missions,  and  that  year  he 
spent  as  Minister  at  Frederick. 

May  I2th,   1889,  ^^^  wrote  to  one  of  his 


14  An  American  Missionary 

sisters:  *'  I  intend  to  start  for  the  West  on 
Monday,  May  20th,  and,  if  agreeable  to  Rev. 
Mother  and  yourself,  I  would  like  to  say 
Mass  for  you  on  that  morning  at  the  Con- 
vent." 

Then  came  the  farewell  visits  to  his  rela- 
tives, before  setting  out  for  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Missions.  These  partings  were 
not  sad,  for  all  expected  to  see  him  again. 
After  leaving  Baltimore,  he  stopped  in  St. 
Louis  and  spent  a  pleasant  evening  with  his 
eldest  brother,  and  again  in  Denver,  to  pay 
the  promised  visit  to  his  sister  in  the  Good 
Shepherd  Convent,  where  he  said  Mass,  on 
the  feast  of  the  Ascension,  May  30th.  Al- 
though this  last  adieu  must  have  been, 
naturally  speaking,  a  trial,  it  was  no  doubt 
with  a  heart  full  of  spiritual  joy  and  consola- 
tion, that  Father  Judge  started  on  the  trip 
through  the  Rockies. 

It  is  a  delightful  experience  to  journey,  as 
he  did,  through  such  scenes  at  the  end  of 
May.  The  gorges  and  canyons  between 
Denver  and  northern  Idaho  are  always  grand 
and  inspiriting,  but  how  lovely  they  must  be 
in  the  spring  season,  when  the  resurrection 
of  nature  clothes  forest  and  plain  in  verdure, 
awakens  to  new  life  the  animal  kingdom  on 
the  earth  and  in  the  air,  and  whispers  to  the 
heart  of  man  that  this  earth  of  ours  has  not 
been  wholly  corrupted.     And  yet,  much  as 


The  Priesthood  15 

our  traveller  must  have  enjoyed  the  novelty 
and  the  beauty  of  this  trip,  we  are  inclined 
to  think  that  he  took  the  same  gen- 
erous view  of  the  matter  that  we  have 
heard  expressed  by  a  Missionary  in  Oceania, 
who  said:  "The  scenery  along  the  way  is 
superb,  but  as  I  am  not  a  tourist  but  a  Mis- 
sionary, I  will  leave  it  to  others  to  describe. 
What  is  picturesque  from  my  point  of  view 
is  that  the  valley  is  well  populated  and  that 
there  are  plenty  of  young  people  fresh  from 
school,  so  that  our  services  are  carried  on 
with  enthusiasm."* 

We  may  well  suppose  that  Father  Judge 
said  to  himself:  ''This  is  sublime  indeed, 
and  blessed  be  God  who  grants  us  such  joys, 
iH  this  our  exile;  but  what  is  most  joyful  to 
me  is  that  this  swift-moving  train  is  bearing 
me  to  the  scene  of  a  labor  of  love,  to  the  Mis- 
sions established  by  Marquette  and  De 
Smet." 

♦Annals  of  Prop,  of  the  Faith.     May  and  June,  1902.    p. 


CHAPTER    III. 

THE  ROCKY  MOUNTAIN  MISSION. 

"  Forgetting  the  things  that  are  behind  ...  I  press  towards 
the  mark,  to  the  prize  of  the  supernal  vocation  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus." — Philip,  Hi.  13,  14. 

IT  would  seem  that  our  Missionary  went 
*  first  to  Spokane,  Washington,  where  the 
Fathers  of  the  Society  of  Jesus  have  a  Col- 
lege and  a  church;  and  there  or  at  Walla 
Walla,  he  helped  in  the  parish  work  at 
Christmas  and  in  Lent.  The  year  however 
was  to  be  chiefly  spent  by  him  in  making  his 
"  Tertianship,"  or  third  year  of  probation,  as 
a  Jesuit,  at  the  De  Smet  Mission  in  Idaho. 
He  went  there  on  August  28th,  the  third  an- 
niversary of  his  ordination  to  the  holy 
Priesthood. 

He  gives  us  an  idea  of  the  Mission  and  of 
his  Tertianship  in  a  letter,  under  date  of 
September  15th,  1889: 

"  This  Mission  is  in  the  Coeur  D'Alene 
Reservation  in  the  northern  part  of  Idaho, 
and  is  a  delightful  place.  The  Reservation 
is  about  thirty  miles  long  and  twenty  wide. 
We  are  in  the  southern  part  of  it,  about  six 
miles  from  the  Washington  line. 

16 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission  17 

"  I  have  never  enjoyed  so  good  health  any- 
where else  as  1  have  here;  nor  do  I  think 
that  I  have  been  so  completely  happy  even 
in  my  noviceship;  for  then  there  was  always 
the  fear  of  not  being  received,  to  mar  my 
happiness;  and  besides,  I  now  have  the 
Priesthood  with  its  joys,  which  I  had  not 
then.  But  this  is  the  last  resting-place,  so 
you  must  pray  hard  for  me  this  year,  that  I 
may  lay  in  a  good  store  of  piety  and  solid 
virtue,  so  that  I  may  be  able  hereafter  to  do 
something  for  God,  in  return  for  all  that  he 
has  done,  and  is  doing  for  me. 

"  Do  not  think  that  I  am  leaving  you  be- 
hind; for,  although  I  came  to  the  Mission 
with  the  desire  of  suffering  something  for 
our  Lord,  as  yet  I  have  had  no  opportunity, 
nor  do  I  hope  for  any  this  year.  What  may 
be  in  store  for  me  when  I  leave  here  I  do  not 
know,  but  God's  will  be  done!  We  must 
always  remember  that  perfection  consists 
not  in  this  or  that,  but  in  doing  God's  holy 
will.  Let  us  pray  for  each  other  that  we 
may  never  have  any  other  intention  in  all  we 
do  than  that  of  fulfilling  His  holy  will." 

In  another  letter,  written  towards  the  end 
of  the  year,  April  20th,  1890,  he  tells  us  what 
was  expected  to  be  the  fruit  of  this  last  year 
of  probation  and  spiritual  exercises.  "  By 
a  special  permission  of  Very  Rev.  Father 
General,  I  am  to  take  my  last  vows  on  the 


18  An  American  Missionary 

Feast  of  the  Ascension,  May  15th.  I  shall 
begin  my  retreat,  on  the  6th.  Pray  for  me 
especially  during  this  retreat,  that  God  may 
give  me  the  true  spirit  of  the  Society,  to 
which,  in  His  great  mercy.  He  has  called  me. 
When  we  make  these  vows,  we  are  expected 
to  be  perfect  Jesuits,  men  who  are  crucified 
to  the  world,  and  to  whom  the  world  is  cru- 
cified, men  who  have  but  one  object  in  life, 
namely,  to  promote  God's  greater  glory." 

And  now  we  have  an  example  of  how  the 
grace  of  God  leads  men  of  good  will  and  of 
generous  love  to  do  with  ease  and  joy,  what 
less  faithful  spirits  would  deem  impossible; 
nay,  what  they  themselves,  earlier  in  their 
course,  would  have  thought  a  romantic  fancy 
or  a  pious  dream. 

We  have  seen  how  the  grace  of  his  voca- 
tion had  enabled  William  Judge  to  quit  the 
busy  world,  to  sever  himself  from  the  scenes 
of  his  youth,  and  to  bid  adieu  to  his  friends 
and  relatives  in  the  East.  He  is  now  in  the 
Rocky  Mountain  Mission,  happy  in  the 
thought  that  he  is  soon  to  do  something  for 
God  and  souls. 

But  the  spirit  of  charity  and  zeal  urges 
him  to  go  still  further.  He  has  heard  that 
volunteers  are  needed  for  the  distant  and 
arduous  mission  of  Alaska,  and  promptly  he 
offers  himself  for  the  work.  Writing  to 
Woodstock  about  this   time,   he   says :     "  I 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission  19 

am  going  to  Alaska  on  the  next  steamer.  I 
offered  myself  when  1  first  came;  but,  as 
there  are  so  many  who  would  be  happy  to  be 
sent,  I  hardly  hoped  to  be  selected  this  year." 
In  a  letter  to  one  of  his  sisters,  he  speaks  of 
the  intended  step  in  these  terms:  *' You 
may  have  heard,  by  this  time,  that  I  am  go- 
ing to  Alaska.  Much  to  my  joy,  I  have  been 
appointed  to  join  the  five  Fathers  already 
there,  and  I  shall  leave  about  the  middle  of 
May  for  San  Francisco,  where  I  shall  take 
the  steamer  for  St.  Michael." 

The  buoyancy  and  strength  of  the  mission- 
ary spirit  which  now  animated  the  young 
Jesuit,  are  shown  in  a  letter  written  to  con- 
sole his  younger  sister,  in  the  grief  that  she 
naturally  felt  at  the  thought  of  his  departure 
for  so  distant  a  field  of  labor. 

De  Smet  Mission,  April  27th,  1890. 
Dear  Sister: 

Pax  Christi  ! 
The  promptness  with  which  you  answered 
my  last  letter,  urges  me  to  write  at  once,  that 
I  may  thus  in  some  sort  allay  the  sorrow  that 
the  news  of  my  going  to  Alaska  has  caused 
you.  Your  letter  came  to  me,  as  mine  did  to 
you,  late  in  the  evenins:,  so  that  I  could  not 
read  it  until  this  morning.  It  has  edified  me 
very  much ;  for,  while  I  understand  fully  the 
tears  you  shed,  your  spirit  of  perfect  resigna- 


20  An  American  Missionary 

tion  makes  me  thank  God  exceedingly.  It 
shows  me  that  your  sorrow  is  that  true 
Christian  sorrow,  which  our  Lord  has  prom- 
ised will  be  turned  into  joy,  and  w^iich,  so 
far  from  robbing  you  of  the  merit  of  the 
sacrifice  that  God  demands  of  you,  only  in- 
creases its  value. 

Is  it  not  a  coincidence  that  the  Gospel  of 
the  day,*  and  my  meditation,  should  be  on 
the  joy  that  our  Lord  promises  to  those  who 
suffer  here  for  his  sake?  We  make  this  sac- 
rifice because  we  believe  it  is  pleasing  to 
Him;  and  therefore  we  may  be  sure  He  will 
keep  His  word  and  give  us  a  joy  that  no  man 
shall  take  from  us.  I  am  sure  neither  of  us 
would  refuse  our  Lord  anything  He  might 
ask  from  us,  no  matter  how  hard  it  might  be 
to  nature.  I  like  very  much  what  you  say 
about  prayer  being  our  telephone  and  the 
Sacred  Heart  the  main  office.  How  great 
should  be  our  love  and  gratitude  towards 
God  for  His  great  goodness  to  us!  This 
thought  affects  me  very  much  and  makes  me 
feel  an  intense  and  personal  love  for  God, 
and  makes  me  realize  how  personal  is  his 
love  for  us.     He  has  ever  been  a  most  sweet, 


♦Gospel  of  the  third  Sunday  after  Easter,  St.  John  xvi, 
in  which  occur  these  words  of  our  Lord:  "Amen,  amen,  I 
say  to  you  that  you  shall  lament  and  weep,  but  the  world 
will  rejoice;  and  you  shall  be  made  sorrowful,  but  your 
sorrow  shall  be  turned  into  joy  .  .  ,  and  your  joy  no  man 
shall  take  from  you." 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission  21 

bountiful,  and  indulgent  Father  to  us,  so  we 
must  try  our  best  to  prove  ourselves  most 
loving  children. 

Remember  above  all  that  it  is  our  love  He 
wants,  our  hearts,  and  nothing  else.  He 
stands  not  in  need  of  our  goods  or  our  labor; 
He  can  do  all  things  by  an  act  of  His  will, 
but  He  will  not  force  us  to  love  Him ;  and  yet 
it  is  that  alone  that  He  cares  for,  "  Son,  give 
me  thy  heart."  Let  us  not  refuse  it  to  Him, 
but  let  us  cast  ourselves  into  His  arms,  and 
tell  Him  to  do  with  us  whatever  is  most 
pleasing  to  Him,  and  to  grant  that  hence- 
forth we  may  never  have  any  will  but  to  do 
His  holy  will.  From  my  childhood,  I  have 
always  found  an  intense  pleasure  in  the  ac- 
complishment of  God's  holy  will,  and  my 
favorite  ejaculation  has  been:  "  Lord,  only 
be  it  Thy  divine  will,  and  be  it  done  unto  me 
a  sinner,  even  unto  death!'' 

Such  were  the  sentiments  with  which 
Father  Judge  made  his  retreat  at  De  Smet, 
and  took  his  last  vows  on  the  feast  of  the 
Ascension,  May  15th,  1890. 

Though  we  have  no  account  of  the  cere- 
mony of  that  day,  we  can  easily  imagine  the 
fervor  and  the  joy  of  soul  with  which  the 
would-be  apostle  received  his  Lord  in  Holy 
Communion,  and  offered  himself  once  more 
to  be  all  for  God.  "  Laetus  obtuli  universa."* 

***I  have  joyfully  offered  all."—/  Par.  xxtv,  17. 


22  An  American  Missionary 

That  must  have  been  a  day  of  joy  in  the 
humble  Mission-house  of  the  Fathers  at  De 
Smet. 

The  Httle  souvenir  reproduced  on  the  op- 
posite page  is  of  interest  as  it  gives  us  auto- 
graphs of  Father  Judge  and  other  Mission- 
aries of  the  North  West.  According  to 
Father  Barnum,  it  was  Father  Joset,  the  sec- 
ond on  the  Hst,  that  composed  the  prayer, 
adapting  it  to  the  use  of  the  Sons  of  St. 
Ignatius  from  the  prayer  used  by  the  Church 
for  the  octave  of  St.  Lawrence,  August  17th. 
In  Enghsh  it  would  run  thus:  ''  Stir  up,  O 
Lord  Jesus,  in  thy  Society,  the  spirit  which 
animated  our  Blessed  Father  Ignatius,  that 
we  being  replenished  with  the  same,  ma}^ 
strive  to  love  what  he  loved,  and  to  practise 
what  he  taught." 

Almost  immediately,  on  May  17th,  our 
Missionary  bade  farewell  to  his  fellow 
priests  and  started  for  the  Pacific  coast. 
Fifteen  days  after  the  feast  of  the  Ascension, 
he  wrote  from  San  Francisco.  Distance 
seemed  only  to  render  stronger  the  bonds  of 
affection  for  his  brothers  and  sisters,  and 
religious  devotion  elevated  and  purified  that 
affection.  In  spite  of  the  absorbing  duties 
of  preparation  for  the  long  voyage,  he  found 
time  to  write  several  letters.  We  may 
quote  from  these  some  passages  which  show 


sU 

A.  M.  D.  G. 


sses 

s 

"•a 

•'.'.•^•^vV 

S8:: 


|SSS 


Excita,  Domine  Jesu,  in  tua  Societate 


spiritum,  cui  Beatus  Ignatius  Pater  nostcr  ^^ 

servivit,  iil  ecdem  nos  repleti,  studeamus  *?*? 

anuire  quod  amavit  et  opere  exercere  quod  si'-- 

•■•• 

docuit.  Qui  vivis. .  ^/i^ 


At.  Jl^^  ^.    ^ 


^^<? 


Z' 


'■^         /«.!/•  VJ^/I-V 


ass 


iSiii  g»^»§£»§£isa§&*^« 


Desmkt 

INDUH  B0Yi>'  PRE68. 


SOUVENIR    OF    THE    ROCKY    MOUNTAIN    MISSION 
Found  in  Father  Judge's  Breviary  alter  his  death 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission  23 

the  gratitude  and  joy  that  animated  him  on 
the  eve  of  his  departure  from  San  Francisco, 

San  Francisco,  May  30,  1890. 

Dear  Brother: 

Pax  Christi! 

Your  last  letter  came  this  morning.  The 
other  I  received  on  the  day  of  my  vows, 
together  with  the  "  Vade  Mecum";  but,  as 
I  had  only  one  day  to  pack  up,  it  was  im- 
possible for  me  to  write  before  starting.  I 
know  not  how  to  acknowledge  the  many 
marks  of  kindness  you  are  continually  show- 
ing me.  My  breviaries  have  been  a  constant 
reminder  of  your  affection,  and  now  you 
send  the  "  Vade  Mecum,"  that  I  may  have 
you  with  me  not  only  while  reciting  the 
Office,  but  also  when  going  to  visit  the  sick. 
The  boat  I  am  going  on  —  the  St.  Paul  —  is 
now  in  port,  but  the  time  of  starting  has  been 
changed  to  the  loth,  so  I  have  a  little  more 
time.  I  am  very  glad  of  the  delay;  for 
otherwise,  I  could  not  answer  all  the  kind 
letters  that  I  have  received  from  members 
of  the  family  and  others  during  the  last  few 
weeks.  You  need  not  envy  me  the  happiness 
that  God  has  been  so  good  as  to  bestow  on 
me  by  calling  me  to  the  Missions,  for  your 
mission  is  not  less  meritorious,  and  it  may 
even  be  more  trying  to  soul  and  body.     Be- 


24  An  American  Missionary 

sides,  you  know  that  all  our  perfection 
consists  in  doing  God's  holy  will,  and  you 
have  no  reason  to  doubt  that  you  are  fulfill- 
ing it  most  perfectly. 

On  the  same  day  he  wrote  to  a  younger 
brother:  "  When  I  read  your  letters,  so  full 
of  affection,  it  is  hard  to  keep  back  the  tears; 
and  yet  they  do  not  make  me  sad  or  unnerve 
me,  for  I  know  that  by  leaving  you  for  our 
dear  Lord's  sake,  I  do  far  more  for  your  hap- 
piness than  I  could  by  remaining  with  you. 
We  cannot  outdo  Him  in  generosity.  He 
always  repays,  a  hundredfold,  every  little 
sacrifice  we  make  for  His  sake.  If  men 
would  only  believe  our  Lord  when  He  tells 
them  *  My  yoke  is  sweet  and  my  burden 
light,'  how  much  happier  they  would  be  both 
now  and  for  all  eternity!  To  me  there  is 
nothing  so  sad  as  to  see  men,  created  to 
know  and  love  God  here  and  to  be  happy 
with  Him  for  all  eternity,  living  Hke  mere 
animals,  with  no  higher  aspirations  than  to 
eat,  drink,  and  enjoy  themselves.  And  yet 
how  many  thousands  there  are  who  live  and 
die  in  these  sentiments. 

How  thankful  we  ought  to  be  for  the  gift 
of  faith,  and  how  careful  not  to  lose  it. 

Try  always  to  remember  that  God  is  our 
father,  and  heaven  our  true  home,  and  that 
now  we  are  as  travellers,  journeying  towards 
home,  and  we  must  not  be  cast  down  if  we 


The  Rocky  Mountain  Mission  25 

meet  some  difficulties  and  hardships  on  the 
way;  for  the  more  we  suffer  now  for  God's 
sake,  the  more  happy  we  shall  be  for  eter- 
nity." 

On  June  4th,  he  writes  to  one  of  his  sisters, 
"  I  have  been  so  busy  preparing  for  my  long 
journey,  or  rather  providing  for  the  time  to 
come,  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  answer 
the  many  kind  letters  I  have  received  from 
all  sides,  wishing  me  *  God  speed ! '  Now  my 
time  is  so  limited,  I  shall  have  to  be  much 
shorter  than  I  would  wish.  I  find  that  dis- 
tance cannot  separate  us  from  our  friends, 
for  it  seems  to  me  that  the  farther  I  with- 
draw from  you,  the  nearer  I  feel ;  and  this  is 
especially  the  case  with  those  who  have 
learned  how  sweet  it  is  to  leave  all  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  to  be  united  with  their 
friends  in  the  most  loving  Heart  of  Jesus. 
May  we  ever  find  a  sweet  home  and  a  safe 
refuge  in  that  Sacred  Heart,  and  let  us  plead 
for  each  other  at  that  throne  of  grace,  until 
our  term  of  exile  is  past  and  we  meet  again 
in  Its  sweet  embraces  never  more  to  be  sep- 
arated." 

While  waiting  for  the  day  of  departure,  he 
paid  a  visit  to  the  College  of  the  Society  in 
Santa  Clara,  a  short  distance  south  of  San 
Francisco.  No  doubt  he  experienced  in  both 
places  the  happiness  of  being  a  member  of  a 
widely  spread  Order,  as  he  found  a  home  and 


26  An  American  Missionary 

congenial  surroundings  in  each  place. 
Whilst  in  Santa  Clara  College,  he  wrote: 
*'  When  I  consider  all  that  God  has  done  for 
me,  it  fills  me  with  a  most  ardent  desire  to 
do  and  suffer  great  things  for  His  glory,  and 
awakens  in  me  a  most  childlike  love  and  an 
unbounded  confidence  in  Him.  Let  us  then 
once  for  all  resign  ourselves  into  the  hands 
of  our  loving  Father,  and  take  care  never  to 
desire  anything  but  what  He  pleases  to  or- 
dain both  for  ourselves  and  for  our  friends, 
and  for  all  and  in  all  things.  Then  all  the 
changes  of  Superiors,  companions,  places 
of  abode,  etc.,  will  have  no  power  to  disturb 
our  peace  of  soul,  but  will  rather  make  us 
happier,  because  we  shall  rejoice  to  see  the 
will  of  our  dear  Father  thus  accomplished." 

Returned  to  San  Francisco,  he  wrote  the 
night  before  his  departure  for  Alaska:  "  I 
cannot  tell  you  how  happy  I  feel.  I  thank 
God  exceedingly  for  His  great  goodness  to 
me,  and  hope  you  will  help  me  to  make  some 
return  of  gratitude  for  so  many  favors." 

One  day  earlier,  he  wrote  to  his  Superior: 
"  We  shall  sail  on  the  St.  Paul  on  Tuesday, 
loth,  at  II  A.  M.  All  here  have  been  very 
kind,  have  given  me  many  things,  and  helped 
me  in  many  ways.  I  am  sorry  I  have  no 
word  to  take  to  Fr.  Tosi  about  the  Sisters. 
My  health  is  ^ood,  and  T  was  never  happier 
m  my  life.     May  God  grant  me  grace  and 


The  Rockj^  Mountain  Mission  27 

strength  to  do  and  suffer  something  for  His 
glory."  Thus  it  was  with  buoyant  spirits 
and  a  joyful  heart,  that  on  June  loth,  1890, 
our  missionary  embarked  for  the  distant 
Mission  of  Alaska,  practically  bidding  adieu 
to  his  own  country. 


CHAPTER    IV. 
OFF  FOR  ALASKA. 
"Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations." — Matt,  xxviii,  19. 

V?7E  can  imagine  with  what  feelings  of 
™  mingled  joy  and  hope  Father  Judge 
stood  upon  the  deck  of  the  St.  Paul,  that 
June  morning,  and,  with  all  the  supplies  and 
presents  for  the  Mission  safe  on  board,  and 
the  faithful  Brother  by  his  side,  watched  the 
deck  hands  casting  off  and  hauling  in  the 
hawsers  that  held  the  steamer  to  her  moor- 
ings. There  was  the  usual  feeling  of  relief 
and  repose  after  a  busy  season  of  prepara- 
tion and  farewell;  but  there  were  also 
sentiments  of  joy  and  gratitude  as  he  realized 
that  now  he  was  actually  a  Missionary, 
about  to  imitate  in  an  humble  way  the  Apos- 
tle whose  name,  by  a  happy  coincidence,  the 
vessel  bore  —  St.  Paul. 

The  voyage  was  to  be  a  long  one,  lasting 
over  a  month,  with  one  or  two  stops  between 
San  Francisco  and  St.  Michael;  the  first 
stage  being  an  uninterrupted  run  across  the 
waters  of  the  Pacific  to  Unalaska   Island. 


Off  for  Alaska  29 

We  have  only  one  letter  written  during  the 
thirteen  days  of  this.  Father  Judge's  first  ex- 
perience of  ocean  travel,  and  we  give  the 
greater  part  of  it  here. 

On  the  Pacific,  2,000  miles  from  San 
Francisco, 

June  22nd,  1890. 
Dear  Sister: 

I  have  been  Hstening  to  you  for  the  last 
half-hour  speaking  through  your  letters. 

My  rule  has  been  not  to  keep  letters  after 
I  have  answered  them,  but  I  have  made  an 
exception  with  regard  to  the  six  that  you 
have  written  since  you  heard  of  my  appoint- 
ment to  the  Alaskan  Mission.  I  have  felt 
that  they  would  be  useful  to  me  as  spiritual 
reading  during  the  year;  for,  I  assure  you 
that  your  letters  have  always  had  the  effect 
of  spurring  me  on  to  greater  generosity  in 
God's  holy  service. 

This  is  the  first  attempt  that  I  have  made 
to  write  on  the  boat,  so  you  must  not  wonder 
at  the  character  of  the  writing,  as  the  vessel 
is  not  over  steady. 

I  do  not  remember  whether  I  told  you 
about  my  visit  to  Victoria,  or  not.  From  De 
Smet  I  went  to  Spokane  Falls  for  a  few  days, 
then  by  rail  to  Tacoma,  a  fine  growing  City 
on  Puget  Sound,  where  T  took  a  steamer  for 
Victoria,  Vancouver  Island.     Victoria  is  an 


30  An  American  Missionary 

old  town,  with  about  forty  thousand  inhabi- 
tants. There  I  saw  our  Bishop,  the  Rt.  Rev. 
J.  N.  Lemmens,  and  returned  to  Tacoma  the 
next  day. 

Thence  I  went  straight  on  to  Portland, 
Oregon,  where  I  arrived  on  Saturday  after- 
noon (May  24th),  the  eve  of  Pentecost,  and 
stopped  at  the  Archbishop's  in  order  to  be 
able  to  say  Mass  on  Sunday.* 

Portland  is  a  fine  large  city,  with  a  Cathe- 
dral and  four  or  five  other  churches.  All 
these  cities  would  surprise  a  person  from  the 
East,  Though  they  have  not  the  population 
of  the  great  eastern  cities,  they  have  all  the 
appearance  of  large  cities,  and  no  doubt  they 
will  soon  be  such.  From  Portland  I  came 
direct  to  San  Francisco,  a  distance  of  about 
seven  hundred  miles.  It  takes  two  days  to 
make  the  journey,  on  account  of  the  heavy 
grades  on  the  mountains.  The  scenery 
is  the  grandest  that  I  have  witnessed 
anywhere.  The  road  winds  up  the  moun- 
tains like  a  serpent,  and  at  some  points  you 
can  see  below  you  three  and  even  five  sec- 
tions of  track,  over  which  you  have  passed. 
In  Oregon  the  weather  was  warm,  but  when 

♦The  Most  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Gross  was  Archbishop  of  Port- 
land at  the  time.  If  Father  Judge  found  his  Grace  at  home, 
he  must  have  been  encouraged  by  the  genial  manner  and 
the  earnest  zeal  of  the  good  Prelate,  who  was  himself  full 
of  the  Apostolic  devotion,  and  the  energetic  charity  of  a 
Missionary. 


Off  for  Alaska  31 

we  reached  San  Francisco,  to  my  surprise, 
overcoats  were  quite  comfortable;  and  yet 
one  sees  palm-trees  and  vegetation  of  all 
kinds  proper  to  a  warm  climate.  It  seems 
that  although  the  sun  is  strong,  the  breeze 
from  the  water  keeps  it  from  ever  being  very 
hot,  and  besides  there  is  a  great  deal  of 
cloudy  weather.  The  forenoons  are  gener- 
ally warm  and  the  afternoons  cool  during 
the  whole  year. 

As  I  told  you  before,  we  left  San  Francisco 
on  the  loth,  a  few  minutes  after  eleven 
o'clock.  The  day  was  fine,  but  there  was  a 
strong  breeze  which  made  the  sea  a  little 
rough.  About  one  o'clock,  I  tried  to  take 
some  dinner,  but  did  not  keep  it  long,  and  I 
did  not  make  another  attempt  to  eat  until 
the  evening  of  the  second  day.  It  was  only 
on  Saturday,  the  14th,  that  I  felt  perfectly 
well  again.  After  the  first  few  days  the  sea 
was  quite  calm,  and  we  enjoyed  the  voyage 
very  much  until  the  i8th,  when  it  got  very 
rough  and  I  had  to  fast  again  until  evening. 
When  the  vessel  rolls  very  much,  even  some 
of  the  old  hands  feel  it.  We  are  expecting 
to  see  land  this  evening,  and  I  hope  to  be  at 
Unalaska  Island,  our  first  stopping  place,  in 
time  to  say  Mass  to-morrow  —  a  happiness 
I  have  not  had  since  we  left  San  Francisco. 

With  the  exception  of  a  few  days  that  I 
was  sick,  the  time  has  passed  very  pleasantly. 


32  An  American  Missionary 

I  brought  with  me  a  flute  and  some  music, 
which,  with  my  Office  and  the  reading  of 
some  books,  have  made  the  days  seem  short. 
I  had  not  played  any  since  I  entered  the  So- 
ciety; but,  to  my  surprise,  I  find  I  can 
manage  the  flute  very  well.  Music  is  use- 
ful on  the  Mission,  as  the  Indians  like  to 
sing,  and  an  instrument  helps  greatly  to  give 
them  the  air.  We  have  only  eight  fellow 
passengers,  and  all  of  them  are  going  up  on 
business  for  the  Fur  Company,  except  one 
man,  not  a  Minister,  going  to  help  at  the 
Episcopalian  Mission,  not  far  from  one  of 
ours,  and  two  young  ladies  sent  out  by  the 
Moravian  Church,  which  has  several  Mis- 
sions some  distance  south  of  the  Yukon. 

The  letter  was  continued,  after  landing,  as 
follows : 

Unalaska  Island,*  June  24th,  1890. 

We  sighted  land  Sunday  evening  (22nd) 
but  did  not  get  into  port  until  yesterday 
(Monday)  morning,  about  six  o'clock. 

As  soon  as  the  boat  was  made  fast,  I  said 
Mass  in  my  stateroom  for  the  first  time  since 
we  left  the  continent.  There  is  here  a  nice 
little  settlement,  with  about  200  residents, 
whites  and  natives.     All  the  former  are  em- 

*  See  map  at  the  end  of  this  book. 


Off  for  Alaska  33 

ployed  by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
or  by  the  United  States  Government,  and  the 
natives  work  for  both. 

The  whites  here  have  no  doubt  that  the 
natives  are  of  Japanese  descent.  There  are 
many  points  of  resemblance.  Like  the 
Japanese,  these  natives  are  very  intelligent 
and  extremely  handy  in  making  all  kinds  oi 
carving  and  woven  work.  They  say  that  a 
Japanese,  who  came  to  these  islands  not  long 
ago,  could  understand  the  natives  and  be  un- 
derstood by  them. 

Both  the  Brother  and  myself  are  very  well. 
Last  evening  I  visited  the  Custom-house 
Officer,  whose  wife  is  a  Catholic.  I  have 
promised  to  take  tea  with  them  this  evening. 
They  pride  themselves  here  on  their  "  Rus- 
sian tea":  even  the  natives,  who  are  poor, 
have  fine  urns  for  making  tea  in  Russian 
fashion.  I  have  not  tried  it  yet,  but  I  expect 
to  do  so  this  evening.  I  feel  exceedingly 
grateful  to  God  for  the  fine  voyage  we  have 
had  thus  far.  St.  Michael  is  about  eight 
hundred  miles  from  here;  but  we  shall  have 
to  go  two  or  three  hundred  miles  out  of  our 
way  to  land  one  of  the  passengers.  We 
shall  very  likely  leave  here  to-morrow,  and 
reach  St.  Michael  before  the  Fourth  of  July. 
I  must  say  "Good-by!"  for  the  present. 
May  God  bless  you  and  all  your  good  Sisters 
in  Religion. 


34  An  American  Missionary 

I  remember  you  all  every  day  in  my 
prayers  and  at  Mass,  when  I  can  say  it. 
Again  *'  Good-by!  "  May  the  Divine  Heart 
of  Jesus  ever  grant  you  Its  most  abundant 
consolation! 

Writing  on  the  same  day  to  his  Superior, 
he  says:  "These  Islands,  as  far  as  I  have 
seen,  are  clumps  of  high  mountains  covered 
with  grass  and  moss ;  no  trees  are  visible.  It 
is  generally  cloudy  and  it  rains  nearly  every 
day.  It  is  not  cold  now  and,  even  in  winter, 
the  temperature,  they  say,  is  never  below 
zero.  There  is  here  a  Russian  church  which 
the  natives  attend.  They  keep  the  Czar's 
birthday  as  a  holiday  and  know  nothing 
about  the  United  States.  Fine  coal-mines 
have  been  discovered  on  the  peninsula  be- 
tween this  and  the  mainland,  and  they  expect 
to  have  a  great  coaling  station  for  all  Pacific 
steamers.  It  is  still  daylight  here  at  lO  P. 
M.,  and  yesterday  morning  I  was  up  soon 
after  3  o'clock  and  it  was  already  bright  day. 
From  what  those  who  have  been  to  St. 
Michael  say,  it  seems  the  weather  is  quite 
mild  there  now.  August  is  rainy,  and  the 
cold  begins  in  September  and  October." 

He  found  time  that  same  day  for  another 
letter  to  one  of  his  sisters,  in  which  he  says: 
"We  arrived  here  safely  yesterday,  after 
thirteen  days  on  the  Pacific.     We  had  an 


Off  for  Alaska  35 

unusually  pleasant  trip,  they  say,  thanks  no 
doubt  to  the  prayers  of  my  many  friends. 
During  the  first  two  days  I  was  very  sick, 
but  after  that  I  got  used  to  the  motion  and 
enjoyed  the  voyage.  The  greatest  part  of 
our  journey  is  over;  we  have  left  the  ocean 
and  have  now  to  cross  Bering  Sea,  which, 
they  say,  is  much  calmer  than  the  Pacific. 
They  have  very  little  sunshine  in  this  part 
of  the  world;  it  is  cloudy  most  of  the  time. 
The  temperature  was  about  50°  all  the  way 
out,  and  it  is  about  the  same  now.  They 
say  it  does  not  go  below  zero  here  in  winter. 
I  do  not  think  I  shall  find  it  as  bad  in  Alaska 
as  is  generally  thought ;  but,  whatever 
comes,  I  am  sure  that,  with  the  help  of  your 
prayers  and  those  of  my  other  friends,  it  will 
all  be  sweet.  I  am  very  well  and  happy  and 
anxious  to  get  to  work.  I  pray  for  you 
every  day.  Good-by!  May  God  bless  you 
all!" 

The  day  after  these  letters  were  written 
was  the  feast  of  St.  William,  Father  Judge's 
patron  Saint;  and  the  joy  of  saying  Mass  on 
that  day  must  have  been  some  compensation 
for  the  privation  of  Mass  and  Communion 
which  he  had  to  endure  on  the  feast  of  St. 
Aloysius,  the  21st  of  June,  a  day  so  dear  to 
all  the  members  of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 

The  party  evidently  remained  at  Unalaska 
until  the  evening  of  the  26th  or  the  morning 


36  An  American  Missionary 

of  the  27th.  Then  the  St.  Paul,  weighing 
anchor  once  more,  headed  her  course  north- 
east along  the  Alaskan  Peninsula  to  Bristol 
Bay.  As  intimated  above,  this  departure 
from  the  direct  route  to  St.  Michael  was  nec- 
essary in  order  to  land  a  lady  passenger  at 
the  Moravian  Mission  on  the  Nushagak 
River.  Our  voyager  did  not  find  Bering  Sea 
so  calm  as  he  might  have  expected,  as  we 
shall  see  from  the  following  letter  which  he 
wrote  after  the  steamer  made  land. 

Nushagak,  Alaska,  July  4th,  1890. 
Dear  Sister: 

I  know  you  are  anxious  to  hear  from  me 
now  that  I  am  so  far  away;  so  I  take  the 
occasion  offered  by  a  sailing  vessel,  which 
we  have  met  here  and  which  will  start  soon 
for  San  Francisco,  to  let  you  know  that  I 
have  arrived  thus  far  without  accident.  This 
place  is  only  about  three  hundred  miles  from 
where  I  wrote  last;  but,  on  account  of  a 
storm  that  made  it  too  rough  to  come  in,  we 
were  just  seven  days  getting  here  instead  of 
three.  We  have  yet  at  least  eight  hundred 
miles  to  go  before  we  reach  St.  Michael.  I 
thought  we  would  be  there  to-day,  but  now 
we  cannot  make  it  before  the  nth  or  12th. 

God  has  been  so  good  to  me  at  all  times, 
but  especially  during  the  past  year,  that  I 


Off  for  Alaska  37 

am  convinced  that  He  has  heard  your 
prayers  for  your  Httle  brother;  and  I  am  en- 
couraged to  hope  that  He  will  be  pleased  to 
use  so  unworthy  an  instrument  to  help  these 
poor  souls  so  dear  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of 
Jesus.  Always  remember  that  you  can  save 
souls  as  well  in  the  convent  as  on  the  Mis- 
sion, for  prayer  is  the  most  powerful  of  all 
the  means  of  salvation.  May  God  bless  you 
always  ! 

It  was  a  novel  way  to  spend  the  Fourth  of 
July,  moored  in  an  Alaskan  harbor.  The 
thought  of  the  "  Fourth  "  inspires  a  page 
that  he  wrote  to  his  youngest  brother.  "  As 
I  am  so  fortunate  as  to  fall  in  with  another 
vessel  bound  for  San  Francisco,  I  must  give 
you  the  benefit  of  it  and  spend  a  little  while 
with  you  on  this  great  day,  imagining  I  see 
you  sending  off  fireworks  for  the  children; 
for,  although  it  is  only  two  o'clock  here,  it 
is  eight  o'clock  with  you.  This  would  be  a 
bad  place  for  fireworks,  as  it  seems  never  to 
get  dark  at  this  season.  One  can  read  at 
ten  o'clock  at  night,  and  I  cannot  say  how 
much  later;  and  it  seems  impossible  to  get  up 
before  the  sun. 

This  place  (Nushagak)  is  on  a  river  of  the 
same  name,  which  empties  into  Bering  Sea 
north  of  the  Peninsula.  There  are  four 
salmon  canneries  on  the  river.     A  gentleman 


38  An  American  Missionary 

who  came  on  board  this  morning  from  one 
of  them,  said  they  caught  thirty  thousand 

salmon  yesterday My  health  is  very 

good.  I  believe  the  voyage  is  making  me 
fat.  God  grant  I  may  use  all  the  strength 
He  gives  me  for  His  glory !  " 

We  have  no  record  of  the  seven  or  eight 
days  spent  in  going  from  Nushagak  to  St. 
Michael.  The  St.  Paul  had  to  retrace  her 
course  and  take  up  again  the  route  from 
Unalaska  to  St.  Michael.  It  would  seem  to 
the  uninitiated,  that  the  natural  course 
would  have  been  to  pass  along  the  coast  and 
through  Etolin  Strait.*  But  that  is  rendered 
impossible  by  the  immense  deposits  of  sand, 
earth,  drift-wood,  and  debris  of  all  kinds 
brought  down  and  cast  forth  by  the  Yukon 
and  the  Kuskokwim.  Thus  the  water  near 
tVip  shore  is  so  shallow  that  steamers  are 
oblisred  to  keep  fort}^  miles  or  more  from 
land,  and  to  pass  to  the  west  of  Nunivak 
Island.  They  then  steer  northward  sighting 
the  eastward  extremity  of  St.  Lawrence 
Island,  and  curving  northeast  towards  Cape 
Nome  and  Cape  Darby,  descend  to  St. 
Michael. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  experiences 
of  this  week  on  the  water,  when  our  Mis- 
sionary reached  St.  Michael  he  was  too  busy 

*  See  map. 


Off  for  Alaska  39 

to  write  about  them.    A  week  after  his  arri- 
val, he  wrote  to  his  Superior: 

St.  Michael,  July  20,  1890. 

Rev.  and  dear  Father  Superior,  P.  C. 

Brother  and  I  arrived  here  last  Sunday 
evening,  the  13th,  nearly  thirty-four  days 
from  San  Francisco.  I  sent  you  two  letters 
on  the  way,  one  from  Unalaska,  and  one 
from  Nushagak,  which  you  should  have 
received  before  this.  We  found  Father 
Tosi  and  Father  Treca  waiting  for  us. 
The  first  thing  they  asked  was:  ''Where 
are  the  Sisters?"  And  I  cannot  tell 
you  how  disappointed  they  were  when  I 
told  them  no  Sisters  were  with  us; 
and  all  the  people  here  were  equally  dis- 
appointed. Everybody  is  praising  the  Sis- 
ters' school.  Mr.  Petroff,  a  Russian,  who  is 
taking  the  census,  was  here  a  few  days  ago: 
he  had  just  come  down  the  Yukon  and  had 
stopped  at  the  school,  where  the  children 
gave  him  a  specimen  of  what  they  could  do 
in  reading,  speaking,  etc.  I  heard  him  say, 
"  I  am  ashamed  of  my  church :  w^e  have  been 
here  for  fifty  years  and  have  not  done  as 
much  as  you  have  done  in  two  or  three." 
From  all  I  hear  and  see,  I  am  sure  we  can  get 
all  the  children  we  can  accommodate.  The 
Sisters  have  made  a  good  impression  on  all 


40  An  American  Missionary 

classes,  and  the  disappointment  at  not  seeing 
more  come  is  great  in  proportion.  I  hope 
you  will  be  able  to  get  us  six  for  next  year; 
for  schools  seem  to  be  more  necessary  here 
than  anywhere  else.  The  Indians  are  most 
anxious  to  learn  and  are  very  smart. 

A  letter  written  in  August  to  a  fellow 
priest  gives  us  some  interesting  details  of 
Father  Judge's  first  work  in  Alaska. 

St.  Michael,  Alaska,  Aug.  17,  1890. 

Dear  Father  Laure,  P.  C. 

We  arrived  here  just  five  weeks  ago  to- 
day. I  had  no  idea  then  that  I  would  be  here 
so  long.  Father  Tosi  and  Brother  Cunning- 
ham left  three  weeks  ago  for  Koserefsky  on 
one  of  the  Company's  steamers,  leaving  me 
here  to  look  after  the  provisions  for  all  three 
Missions.  We  bought  a  little  steamer  from 
the  Company,  and  it  left  here  on  the  ist  of 
August  with  Father  Treca  and  his  provis- 
ions, for  Cape  Vancouver,  which  is  on  the 
coast  about  four  hundred  miles  to  the  south, 
where  he  and  Father  Muset  with  a  Brother 
have  been  since  last  fall.  They  have  a  small 
log-house,  which  they  built  themselves,  and 
which  is  divided  in  two,  one  half  being  used 
for  a  church  and  school,  the  other  half  for  a 
dwelling.     Both  of  them  picked  up  the  Ian- 


Off  for  Alaska  41 

guage  very  quickly  and  are  doing  great 
good;  they  have  baptized  more  than  two 
hundred  already. 

I  am  waiting  for  our  steamer  to  return 
and  take  me  and  the  provisions  up  the  river 
to  Koserefsky  and  Nulato;  the  former  is 
about  four  hundred  miles  from  St.  Michael, 
and  the  latter  six  hundred.  I  expect  to  re- 
main at  Koserefsky,  and  I  think  Father  Ro- 
baut  will  go  to  Nulato  with  Father  Ragaru. 
The  latter,  I  believe,  has  been  without  flour 
for  two  months,  unless  he  has  been  able  to 
borrow  some  lately  from  the  boats  going  up 
the  river,  which  I  doubt ;  so  he  must  be  look- 
ing anxiously  for  the  steamer. 

The  weather  has  been  unusually  windy  for 
this  time  of  the  year,  which  has  made  the 
sea  too  rough  for  small  steamers,  and  has 
very  much  delayed  both  ours  and  those  of 
the  Company.  The  best  idea  I  can  give  you 
of  this  place  is  to  ask  you  to  recall  the  villa 
of  St.  Inigoes.*  If,  instead  of  the  houses 
there,  you  imagine  a  dozen  large  log-houses 
one  story  and  a  half  high,  and  the  Russian 
church  as  shown  in  the  photograph  at  De 
Smet;  and,  on  the  Rosecroft  side,  a  range  of 
mountains,  you  will  have  a  good  picture  of 
St.  Michael.  All  the  houses  belong  to  the 
Company  and  are  used  as  dwellings  and  of- 

*  In    St.    Mary's    Co.,    Md.,   on   the   peninsula   between    the 
Chesapeake   Bay  and  the  Potomac   River. 


42  An  American  Missionary 

fices  for  their  agents,  and  as  store-houses  for 
their  goods.  The  Russian  priest  does  not 
live  here  and  seldom  comes.  There  is  a 
small  village  of  natives  about  a  mile  distant 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island.  There  were 
a  great  many  Indians  here  v^hen  the  St.  Paul 
came,  living  in  tents;  they  come  every  year 
to  help  in  unloading  the  steamers,  for  w^hich 
they  are  paid.  These  Indians  are  very  dif- 
ferent from  yours  —  finer  looking,  fond  of 
v^ork,  anxious  to  learn,  and  very  good-na- 
tured. I  think  they  v^ould  make  good  Cath- 
olics. The  country  is  also  quite  different 
from  what  I  expected;  there  are  no  trees  on 
the  coast,  but  it  is  all  covered  with  grass  and 
moss,  and  has  a  pleasing  appearance.  It  is 
not  the  barren  waste  I  expected  to  find. 

Nor  is  it  so  terribly  cold  as  we  were  led  to 
believe.  From  May  to  October,  and  some- 
times much  later,  it  is  about  the  same  as  at 
present  —  that  is  a  temperature  ranging 
from  40°  to  60°  or  yo\  and  the  coldest 
weather  they  had  here  last  winter  was  40° 
below  zero,  and  at  Koserefsky  45°.  All  these 
temperatures  and  those  that  follow  are,  of 
course,  Farenheit.  The  following  is  taken 
from  an  official  report  for  the  years  1879 
and  1880: — 


Off  for  Alaska  43 


THERMOMETER  AT  ST.  MICHAEL. 

Mean.  Min'ni.  Max'm. 

July  53 36 68 

August   50 35 62 

September    45 19 58 

October    26 13 42 

November    17 —12 36 

December     6 —32 36 

January     —19 —45 16 


February    0 — 41. 

March 8 —37. ? 

April    19 —27 ? 

May    28 —  1 ? 

June — not  given,  but  about  the  same  as  July. 

So  you  see  it  is  not  so  bad;  for  the  most 
part,  nothing  worse  than  you  have  already 
experienced;  so  you  need  not  be  frightened 
if  you  get  orders  next  year  to  come  to  St. 
Michael.  All  the  whites  and  those  of  the  na- 
tives who  can  get  them,  live  in  ordinary  log- 
houses,  and  say  they  are  warm  enough. 
Most  of  the  natives  live  in  tents  in  summer 
and  in  baraboras*  in  winter.  If  it  were  not 
for  the  frequent  rain  it  would  be  very  fine 
here  in  summer ;  but,  as  at  every  place  on  this 
coast,  it  rains  nearly  every  day.  Up  the 
river  however,  they  say  it  is  much  better; 
even  here,  the  Agent  has  a  garden  of  rad- 
ishes, turnips,  spinach,  lettuce,  etc.,  and 
Father  Tosi  cultivates  cabbage  and  potatoes. 

I  have  tried  to  give  you,  as  best  I  can,  my 
impressions  of  the  place  after  five  weeks' 

♦Alaskan  huts — See  page  58. 


44  An  American  Missionary 

observation,  and  I  hope  they  will  enable  you 
to  form  a  more  correct  idea  of  it. 

I  forgot  to  state  that  there  are  a  good 
many  wild  flowers  here,  and  also  three  kinds 
of  wild  berries  —  the  salmon  berry,  the  blue 
berry  and  the  red  currant ;  they  all  grow  on 
creeping  vines  and  are  very  plentiful. 

Many  of  the  useful  things  which  you  gave 
me  have  done  good  service  already,  and  your 
flute  which  I  got  at  Spokane,  is  my  best 
friend.  It  helped  very  much  to  make  the 
time  pass  pleasantly  on  the  steamer,  and  now 
I  find  it  a  good  companion.  I  have  been 
kept  quite  busy  arranging  and  packing  the 
supplies  for  the  different  missions,  but  I  have 
finished  that,  and  I  am  now  trying  to  make  a 
beginning  with  the  Indian  language.  There 
is  a  half-breed  boy  here,  who  is  helping  me, 
so  that  the  time  I  am  detained  here  will  not 
be  wholly  lost.  Father  Muset  did  not  leave 
until  the  14th  of  November;  that  is,  as  soon 
as  the  bay  was  frozen  over.  It  would  be 
good  for  those  who  come  to  have  a  stand, 
and  a  waterproof  cover  for  their  chapel,  rub- 
ber boots,  coat,  and  cap,  as  there  is  so  much 
rain  here  in  the  summer.  We  have  a  room 
in  the  Company's  house  this  year,  which  was 
intended  for  the  Sisters;  if  they  had  come, 
we  would  have  had  to  camp  out  in  a  tent.  I 
have  told  you  all  I  can  think  of  that  might 


Off  for  Alaska  46 

interest  you.     I  need  hardly  add  that  I  am 
well  and  happy. 

Best  wishes  and  kind  regards  to  all. 
Your  brother  in  Christ, 

Wm.  H.  Judge. 

The  foregoing  letter  is  supplemented  by 
one  written  five  days  later  to  one  of  his 
sisters: — 

St.  Michael,  Alaska, 
Aug.  22nd,  1890. 
Dear  Sister: — 

This  will  be  a  little  surprise  for  you.  You 
see,  by  the  heading,  that  I  am  still  at  St. 
Michael.  It  is  nearly  six  weeks  since  I  ar- 
rived, and  I  did  not  expect  to  be  here  as  many 
days.  The  U.  S.  Revenue  Cutter,  the  Bear, 
Captain  Healy,  is  here  on  her  way  to  San 
Francisco  from  the  Arctic,  where  she  has 
been  on  her  annual  cruise,  and  it  is  by  her 
that  I  send  this  —  it  is  the  last  chance  this 
year. 

The  Captain,  who  is  a  brother  of  Bishop 
Healy,  and  of  our  Father  Healy,  has  his  wife 
with  him.  They  have  invited  me  to  take  din- 
ner with  them  on  the  steamer  this  evening, 

I  am  more  than  pleased  with  what  I  have 
seen  both  of  the  country  and  the  natives. 
The  natives  are  very  good-natured,  quick, 
and  anxious  to  learn.     Many  of  them  are 


46  An  American  Missionary 

fine-looking  and  very  intelligent.  Pray  for 
our  good  Indians  that  they  may  have  the 
grace  to  embrace  the  true  faith,  v^hich  has 
brought  us  so  much  happiness ;  that  so  they 
may  share  our  joy.  Good-by!  May  God 
bless  you  and  all  your  community  ! 


CHAPTER  V. 

ON  THE  YUKON. 

"  I  most  gladly  will   spend  and  be   spent  myself  for  your 
souls," — II.  Cor.,  xii,  15. 

THE  Missionary  is  now  in  the  field;  and 
the  work  demands  all  his  energy,  atten- 
tion, and  devotion.  He  will  have  little  time 
to  write  letters,  and  less  facility  for  sending 
them  to  the  East. 

And  here  it  is  well  to  recall  the  state  of 
communication  with  Alaska  in  the  nineties, 
before  the  discovery  of  gold  in  the  Klondike. 
The  territory  was  little  known  and  little 
spoken  of.  There  was  no  mail  to  Alaska,  and 
letters  were  not  accepted  for  delivery  there. 
Correspondence  had  to  be  directed  in  care 
of  some  one  in  San  Francisco,  to  be  for- 
warded by  the  steamer  that  left,  once  a  year, 
for  St.  Michael.  The  return  mail  followed  a 
similar  course.  A  letter  from  the  Yukon 
Missions  took  about  two  months  to  reach 
Baltimore ;  and,  when  handed  to  the  eager  re- 
cipient, it  was  redolent  of  bacon,  tar,  or  other 
ship's  stores,  owing  to  its  long  voyage  across 
Bering  Sea  and  the  Pacific.     The  Alaskan 

47 


48  An  American  Missionary 

Missionary  was  as  effectually  cut  off  from 
the  outside  world,  as  if  he  were  in  China  or 
the  interior  of  Africa. 

On  these  annual  letters,  which  Father 
Judge  wrote  to  his  brethren  in  the  Society 
or  to  members  of  his  family,  and  a  few  others 
sent  when  an  opportunity  offered,  we  must 
depend  to  follow  him  in  his  work  from  1890 
to  1897. 

The  reader  need  not  look  for  elegance  of 
diction  in  these  letters,  which  were  not  in- 
tended for  publication,  and  were  often 
written  under  difficulties.  The  unstudied 
narrative  of  the  Missionary's  work  has 
pleased  those  who  have  heard  or  read  it, 
more  than  fine  phrases  or  rhetorical  descrip- 
tions would  have  done. 

The  work  of  the  first  year  in  Alaska  is 
summed  up  in  the  following  letter:  — 

St.  Michael,  Alaska, 
Dear  Brother:  June  30th,  1891. 

I  know  you  and  all  the  family  will  be 
anxious  to  hear  how  I  have  spent  my  first 
year  in  this  unknown  land,  so  I  will  try  to 
give  you  as  faithful  an  account  as  I  can,  and 
you  will  have  to  pass  it  to  all  our  brothers 
and  sisters,  as  it  would  be  impossible  for  me 
to  write  at  length  to  all. 

I  thought  to  begin  my  letters  during  the 
year,  but  I  have  been  so  very  busy  that  it 


On  the  Yukon  49 

was  simply  ini])ossible.  I  made  the  days 
as  long  as  possible  —  often  from  five  A.  M. 
to  twelve  P.  M.,  and  yet  they  were  not  long 
enough. 

I  reached  the  Mission  on  the  i6th  of  Sep- 
tember, and  found  there  Father  Tosi,  our 
Superior,  and  Father  Robaut,  who  left  for 
Nulato,  two  hundred  miles  up  the  Yukon, 
the  next  day;  also  two  Brothers,  and  three 
Sisters  of  St.  Ann,  and  fifty  children.  The 
Mission  is  located  on  the  right  (west)  bank 
of  the  Yukon,  about  four  hundred  miles  from 
the  coast,  on  a  level  piece  of  land  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  with  high  mountains 
to  the  west  and  north.  Both  the  mountain 
and  the  plain  are  covered  with  thick  woods 
of  spruce,  birch,  and  cottonwood.  We  have 
cleared  about  ten  acres.  For  the  Sisters' 
house  and  school  we  have  a  log-house  seven- 
ty-five feet  long  by  twenty  feet  wide,  and 
one  and  a  half  stories  high ;  and  for  ourselves 
another,  forty-six  by  twenty-four  feet,  the 
same  height ;  and  a  church  thirty  by  twenty 
feet. 

Until  last  March  the  present  church  had 
to  serve  for  everything.  It  was  divided  into 
six  rooms,  two  for  the  Fathers,  one  for 
kitchen,  one  for  chapel,  one  for  dining-room, 
&:c.,  and  one  for  the  Indians  when  they  came 
to  trade,  &c.  The  chapel  had  large  doors, 
which  we  opened  for  Mass,  Benediction,  &c,, 


50  An  American  Missionary 

making  the  chapel,  dining-room,  and  Indian 
room  all  into  one;  and  sometimes  we  had  as 
many  as  eighty  in  it.  The  upper  story 
served  as  a  dormitory  for  thirteen  larger 
boys  and  the  two  Brothers,  and  as  a  store- 
room for  provisions.  Although  it  was  very 
small  for  the  purpose,  it  was  quite  comfort- 
able, and  required  little  fire  to  keep  it  warm. 

I  am  quite  sure  I  suffered  less  from  the 
cold  last  winter  than  you  did.  We  did  not 
keep  fire  at  night  generally,  and  had  only  one 
stove,  which  was  in  the  common  room,  into 
which  all  the  others  opened,  and  yet  it  froze 
in  my  room  only  two  nights  when  it  was  50** 
below  zero.  Since  we  got  into  the  new  house 
we  have  been  very  comfortable,  and  the  boys, 
twenty-two  now,  have  a  fine  high  dormitory. 
We  have  turned  the  old  house  into  a  church 
and  it  looks  right  well  for  these  parts.  I 
papered  the  sanctuary  and  whitewashed  the 
body  of  the  church  after  filling  up  the  cracks 
between  the  logs  with  mortar,  and  painted 
the  six  windovv^s  in  imitation  of  frosted  glass, 
making  the  centre  panes  red,  so  as  to  form 
a  red  cross,  and  the  others  white.  I  painted 
the  altar  white;  and,  with  some  fine  altar- 
cloths,  ten  silver  candlesticks,  and  some 
flowers,  all  of  which,  though  not  new,  are 
very  good  and  were  given  to  me  by  our 
Fathers  in  California,  it  makes  a  very  re- 
spectable-looking  altar.     The   sanctuary   is 


On  the  Yukon  51 

covered  with  matting-  made  hy  the  Indians, 
which  is  nearly  as  good  as  what  you  buy. 
Thanks  to  the  generosity  of  the  AUar  So- 
ciety in  Washington  we  are  well  supplied 
with  vestments. 

Now  for  the  events  of  the  year.  The  day 
after  I  arrived  at  the  Mission,  while  carrying 
a  heavy  box,  about  three  hundred  pounds,  I 
slipped,  and  it  fell  on  my  leg,  and  although 
it  did  not  break  it,  it  bruised  it  very  badly 
and  made  it  so  stiff  that  I  could  not  make 
a  decent  genuflection  for  three  months;  but, 
thank  God,  I  was  able  to  keep  about  and  did 
not  miss  Mass  once.  At  Christmas  we  used 
as  a  church  the  new  house,  which  was  then 
under  roof,  but  had  no  partitions  in  it  yet. 
In  the  corner,  at  the  Gospel  side  of  the  altar, 
I  fixed  a  very  pretty  crib,  with  a  fine  set  of 
figures  painted  on  tin  by  a  Brother  in  Spo- 
kane Falls.  The  Rector  gave  them  to  me 
when  I  was  coming  away.  They  are  in  six 
groups,  and  I  like  them  better  than  those 
that  I  paid  $130  for,  wdien  in  Frederick.  The 
church  was  dressed  wath  evergreens,  and 
looked  quite  Christmas-like.  Father  Tosi 
sang  midnight  Mass,  and  in  the  morning  at 
nine  o'clock  we  baptized  thirty-four  children 
of  the  school.  Afterwards  I  sang  High 
Mass,  which  was  over  at  one  o'clock.  At 
two  o'clock  we  had  Benediction.  There 
were  about  sixty  Indians  from  the  village 


52  An  American  Missionary 

at  Mass  and  Benediction.  At  three  o'clock 
I  dressed  up  in  fur  from  head  to  foot  and 
played  Santa  Claus  for  the  children.  They 
did  not  know  who  it  was,  and  enjoyed  it  very 
much.  Thus  ended  my  first  Christmas  in 
Alaska,  and  I  do  not  think  I  ever  spent  a 
happier  one. 

On  the  loth  of  February  I  started  with  a 
sleigh  and  seven  dogs  to  visit  the  Indians  on 
the  Shagaluk  river,  which  runs  into  the 
Yukon  a  little  below  us.  I  had  a  boy  for  my 
interpreter  and  a  man  to  help  with  the 
sleigh.  The  first  day  we  went  only  fifteen 
miles  to  an  empty  barabora,  as  the  Indian 
houses  are  called.  They  are  built  of  logs, 
starting  three  or  four  feet  below  the  ground, 
in  this  shape. 


ri'M 


They  are  from  twelve  to  twenty  feet  @r 
more  square,  and  eight  to  twelve  feet  high, 
and  covered  with  clay,  so  that  they  look  like 
hillocks,  rather  than  houses.  The  door  is  a 
hole  two  or  three  feet  high  covered  with 
a  piece  of  skin  or  matting,  and  generally 
it  is  reached  through  an  under-ground  pas- 


On  the  Yukon  53 

sage  of  the  same  size,  through  which  you 
have  to  crawl  to  get  in;  this  is  to  protect 
the  inmates  better  from  the  cold.  In  the 
centre  of  the  roof  there  is  a  window  two  or 
three  feet  square  covered  with  a  piece  of 
bladder  or  thin  skin,  which  admits  all  the 
light  needed.  On  three  sides  there  is  a 
bench  or  shelf  about  six  feet  wide  and 
eighteen  inches  above  the  floor,  which  they 
cover  with  mats;  and  there  they  sit  in  the 
day  time,  and  sleep  at  night  wnth  their  heads 
to  the  wall  and  their  feet  towards  the  middle 
of  the  room.  In  the  centre  of  the  floor  just 
under  the  window,  they  make  the  fire,  once 
or  twice  a  day,  and  when  it  is  out  they  close 
the  window,  and  the  room  remams  comfort- 
able all  day  even  in  the  coldest  weather. 

In  every  village  there  is  what  is  called  the 
Casino.*  It  is  a  building  just  like  a  bara- 
bora  only  it  is  very  much  larger,  generally 
thirty  to  forty  feet  square  and  fifteen  to 
twenty-five  feet  high,  and  instead  of  the 
broad'berths  for  sleeping,  there  is  a  narrow 
shelf  about  two  feet  wide  and  three  feet  high 
running  all  around.  The  Casino  is  for  the 
men ;  they  work  there  during  the  day  making 
sleighs   or  snow-shoes,   dressing  skins,   &c. 

*This  Alaskan  inn  or  club-house  is  called  by  the  natives 
"Kazhjra,"  and  by  the  Russians  "  Kazhim "  or  barracks. 
The  Russian  word  has  been  variously  rendered  "  Kachime," 
"Cazine,"  or  "  Casine "  and  "Casino."  This  last  expresses 
the  idea  better  than  any  other  word  in  our  vocabulary. 


54  An  American  Missionary 

Their  wives  or  children  bring  their  meals  to 
them,  which  they  eat,  sitting  tailor-fashion 
on  the  shelf,  while  their  wives  sit  on  the  floor 
ready  to  w^ait  on  them.  The  young  men 
also  sleep  on  the  shelf,  and  all  travellers  are 
lodeed  in  the  Casino.  It  is  also  used  for 
their  dances  and  all  public  meetmgs. 

To  return  to  my  trip.  As  soon  as  we  had 
put  our  things  into  the  barabora  we  made  a 
fire,  cooked  our  supper  and  went  to  bed. 
Next  morning  I  said  Mass,  we  took  break- 
fast and  started.  Soon  we  met  three  Indian 
sleighs  going  our  way  and  we  gave  them 
part  of  our  load;  at  noon  we  stopped  and 
cooked  some  fish  for  dinner,  and  about  three 
o'clock  we  reached  a  log  house  belonging  to 
an  Indian,  where  we  stopped  for  the  night. 
Next  morning  I  said  Mass,  made  a  little  in- 
struction, took  breakfast  and  started  for  the 
first  village,  which  we  reached  at  four 
o'clock,  and  took  up  our  abode  in  the  Casino. 

As  soon  as  I  went  in,  I  found  all  the  In- 
dians sitting  around  as  quiet  as  mice,  and  I 
saw  that  they  had  up  w^hat  they  call  "  spirit- 
sticks."  These  are  four  sticks  abt)ut  six  feet 
high,  painted  different  colors,  with  feathers 
stuck  into  them  here  and  there.  They  place 
these  sticks  one  at  each  end  of  the  Casino, 
and  one  at  each  side;  and  while  they  are 
there,  no  one  can  speak  loud  or  do  any  work. 
The  Indians  firmly  believe  that  these  sticks 


On  the  Yukon  55 

have  tiie  power  to  kill  them  or  do  them  good. 
When  1  went  to  hang  up  my  coat  on  one  of 
the  sticks,  they  said  "  No,"  hecause  the 
spirits  would  hurt  them  if  I  did.  When  I 
had  taken  my  supper  I  spoke  to  them,  show- 
ing how  foolish  it  was  to  helieve  that  those 
sticks  could  hurt  them,  and  I  then  asked 
them  to  let  me  break  them  up.  The  young 
people  were  willing  and  I  was  just  going  to 
do  it  when  some  old  women  cried  out : 
"  Our  souls  are  in  those  sticks,  if  you  break 
them  we  will  all  die,"  and  then  some  old  men 
jumped  up  and  grabbed  the  sticks  and  I 
could  not  prevail  on  them  to  let  me  break 
them  up.  But  they  promised  never  to  bring 
them  into  the  Casino  again. 

I  staid  there  two  days  teaching  the  chil- 
dren. I  baptized  three  infants  and  one  old 
woman,  the  mother  of  one  of  our  school 
girls,  who  had  never  been  baptized,  heard 
the  confession  of  her  husband,  whom  I  bap- 
tized conditionally,  and  then  married  them. 
They  did  not  belong  to  the  village,  but  lived 
alone  about  ten  miles  below^  it.  They  do 
not  believe  in  the  sticks  and  seemed  to  be 
good  people  anxious  to  do  what  is  right.  I 
was  just  in  time,  for  the  old  man  died  sud- 
denly, a  few  days  afterwards.  They  w^anted 
me  to  stay  longer  but  I  told  them  I  could  do 
nothing  for  them  as  long  as  they  refused  to 
break  up  the  sticks. 


56  An  American  Missionary 

Then  I  went  ten  miles  further  to  a  small 
village  of  very  good  people,  who  did  not  be- 
lieve in  the  sticks  and  were  anxious  to  learn 
the  prayers.  They  have  no  doctors  or 
medicine  men.  These  doctors  are  our  great- 
est obstacle,  they  have  most  of  the  people 
completely  in  their  power.  They  pretend 
to  have  great  power  to  kill  or  cure  by  their 
incantations  and  also  to  be  able  to  cause  the 
fish  and  game  to  come  or  not  as  they  please, 
and  the  poor  people  believe  it  all  firmly. 
Sometimes  they  put  all  the  people  in  the 
Casino  wnth  strict  orders  not  to  leave  it,  and 
then  they  (the  doctors)  go  out,  telling  the 
people  they  are  going  to  the  moon,  and  after 
several  hours  they  go  to  the  Casino  and  tell 
all  they  have  seen  and  learned  there.  There 
is  nothing,  no  matter  how  foolish,  the  doc- 
tors may  say,  that  can  shake  the  faith  of  the 
people  in  them.  Many  of  them  are  ventrilo- 
quists, hence  they  make  the  spirit-sticks  and 
also  the  dead  appear  to  speak.  Father 
Ragaru  saw  one  of  them  making  a  dead  child 
speak  and  showed  him  up,  much  to  his  dis- 
pleasure. 

To  return  to  my  trip.  At  this  village  I 
staid  four  days,  taught  the  people  a  short 
offering  of  themselves  and  of  their  actions 
to  God,  the  Our  Father,  Hail  Mary,  Glory 
be  to  the  Father,  &c.,  and  the  formula  for 
baptizing  in  danger  of  death;  all  of  which 


On  the  Yukon 


57 


they  learned  well,  as  also  a  little  hymn,  and 
two  chapters  of  catechism.  There  I  bap- 
tized one  infant  and  twenty-eight  others,  and 
married  seven  couples.  I  also  taught  them 
how  to  know  the  days  of  the  week,  so  that 
they  could  keep  Sunda}^  and  Friday.  I  did 
it  in  this  way,  and  they  liked  it.  I  took  a 
piece  of  board,  and  cut  it,  and  marked  it 
thus: 


o  o  o  o  o  o  o 


The  triangle  I  told  them  was  for  God's 
day  or  the  first  day,  then  two  holes  for  the 
second  day,  three  for  the  third  day,  four  for 
the  fourth,  five  for  the  fifth,  and  a  fish  for 
Friday,  and  seven  holes  for  Saturday.  I  put 
a  pin,  which  they  were  to  move  downward, 
one  hole  every  day,  until  they  got  to  the  bot- 
tom, and  then  jump  to  the  top  again.  I  met 
one  of  them  several  weeks  after  T  left,  and 
he  had  a  small  one  of  the  indicators  nicely 
made  to  carry  in  his  pocket,  and  had  the  pin 
in  the  right  hole. 


58  An  American  Missionary 

When  I  left  that  village  I  went  to  another 
six  miles  up  the  river,  the  Shagaluk,  and  as 
soon  as  I  got  there  they  told  me  there  was 
an  old  man  very  sick  at  a  village  two  miles 
further,  on  the  other  side  of  the  river;  so  I 
left  my  sleigh  and  everything  else,  and  went 
to  see  the  sick  man.  I  found  v/hen  I  got  there 
that  he  was  an  old  man,  very  sick,  who  had 
never  been  baptized.  So,  after  giving  him 
some  medicine  to  try  to  relieve  his  pain,  I 
prepared  both  him  and  his  wdfe  for  baptism, 
and  promised  to  return  in  the  morning.  Next 
day  as  soon  as  I  had  said  ]\Iass  and  taken  a 
little  breakfast,  I  went  over  and  found  him 
very  low.  There  was  no  time  to  lose.  I  bap- 
tized him  and  his  Vv^fe,  and  gave  him  Ex- 
treme Unction.  In  less  than  an  hour  he  died. 
It  looked  as  though  he  had  been  waiting  for 
me  to  come  to  baptize  him. 

I  w^ent  back  to  the  other  village,  and 
stayed  there  two  da3^s,  teaching  the  children 
the  prayers  and  catechism,  but  I  could  not 
do  anything  witli  the  old  people,  because,  as 
at  the  first  village,  they  would  not  give  up 
the  sticks.  I  baptized  one  infant,  two  young 
men  and  one  youns:  w^oman  belonging  to  the 
second  village,  and  married  a  couple.  The 
young  woman  has  died  since.  Then  I  went 
over  to  the  village  where  the  old  man  died. 
I  knew  that  it  would  be  useless  to  try  to  get 
them  to  give  him  Christian  burial,  so  I  did 


On  the  Yukon  59 

not  try.  When  I  ^^^ot  there,  they  had  the 
hocly  sitting-  in  the  Casino,  with  a  dish  of  fish 
and  a  can  of  water  heside  it,  and  all  the  wo- 
men and  children  were  sitting-  around  on  the 
floor  looking  at  it.  But  it  is  at  night  that  they 
have  the  principal  part  of  the  funeral  rites. 
They  keep  the  hody  four  days,  and  every 
night  they  sing  and  dance  from  ahout  six 
P.  M.  to  six  A.  M.  in  this  way.  The  women 
sit  on  the  floor  around  the  corpse,  and  hehind 
them  the  children  stand  shaking  themselves 
from  side  to  side  and  up  and  down,  by  bend- 
ing their  knees  a  little,  and  behind  them 
again  the  young  men  stand  beating  sticks 
together  and  singing  a  song  composed  for 
the  occasion,  referring  to  the  life  of  the  dead 
person,  to  a  tune  that  sounds  like  ya-ya,  ya- 
ya.  They  beat  the  sticks  and  sing  as  hard  as 
they  can  until  they  are  all  in  a  sweat,  and 
then  others  take  their  place,  and  they  keep 
that  uo  the  whole  night.  The  old  men  sit  on 
the  shelf  and  look  on.  The  only  source  of 
light  is  a  dim  taper  burning  in  a  dish  of  oil 
before  the  corpse.  While  they  were  thus 
performing  their  antics.  T  fixed  up  my  bed  in 
one  corner  of  the  shelf  and  turned  in,  and 
although  T  often  woke  up,  I  managed  to  get 
enough  sleep.  T  shall  not  soon  forget  that 
night.  Tt  was  the  most  savage-looking  thing 
I  have  seen.  T  am  sure  a  Ts^ew  York  paper 
would  be  glad  to  have  a  photograph  of  it. 


60  An  American  Missionary 

Next  day  I  started  for  another  village 
about  forty  miles  off,  because  I  could  not 
teach  the  children  after  they  had  been  up  all 
night  dancing,  but  I  promised  to  call  on  my 
way  back.  When  I  reached  the  village  in  the 
evening  I  went  to  the  Casino  as  usual.  They 
were  glad  to  see  me  and  I  stayed,  I  think, 
four  days,  teaching  the  children  all  day;  but 
as  they,  like  the  others,  would  not  give  up 
their  superstitions,  I  could  not  do  much  for 
them.  Then  I  returned  again  to  where  the 
man  had  died,  but  I  could  not  do  anything 
but  teach  the  children,  as  the  doctors  kept 
the  people  strong  in  their  superstition.  From 
there  I  crossed  over  to  a  large  village  on  the 
Yukon  called  Anvik,  about  forty-five  miles 
from  the  other,  where  there  is  an  Episcopa- 
lian minister.  I  did  not  go  to  his  house,  but 
put  up  in  the  Casino  —  his  house  is  across 
the  river  from  the  village.  It  was  late  when 
we  reached  there,  so  after  supper  we  went  to 
bed.  The  Casino  was  so  crowded  that  I 
could  not  get  a  place  on  the  shelf,  so  I  fixed 
my  bed  on  the  floor, —  just  as  good.  For 
my  bed  I  have  fallen  heir  to  Archbishop 
Seghers'  travelhng  bed,  which  is  a  large 
bearskin."^    He  was  lying  on  it  when  he  was 

♦This  bearskin  is  now  in  the  museum  of  Georgetown 
University.  Father  Judge  used  it  for  five  years,  taking  it 
with  him  up  the  Yukon  to  Forty  Mile  Post.  In  1896  Father 
Barnum  sent  the  interesting  relic  to  Georgetown.  On  Arch- 
bishop Seghers,  see  p.  105. 


On  the  Yukon  61 

killed,  and  it  has  his  name  painted  in  large 
letters  on  the  hack.  I  use  it  all  the  time,  hoth 
at  home  and  when  travelling. 

I  said  Mass  in  the  morning  and  had  a  good 
congregation.  While  we  were  taking  our 
breakfast,  the  minister  came  in  to  hire  some 
men  to  work  for  him,  and  was  not  a  little 
surprised  to  see  me  there.  I  told  the  Indians 
I  did  not  stop  with  the  minister,  because  I 
did  not  want  them  to  think  that  I  approved 
his  religious  teaching,  but  that  I  would  go 
to  see  him  so  that  he  would  not  be  angry 
with  them.  It  pleased  them  that  I  stopped 
in  the  Casino  instead  of  at  the  minister's. 
Very  few  go  to  his  church  on  Sunday.  I 
went  over  and  took  dinner  with  the  rev. 
gentleman  and  told  him  plainly  why  I  did 
not  stop  at  his  house.  My  frankness  pleased 
him  and  he  was  as  kind  as  could  be.  I  stayed 
in  Anvik  one  day  and  did  not  teach,  as  I  did 
not  wish  to  make  open  war  with  the  min- 
ister. I  expect  to  go  there  frequently  this 
year  and  don't  think  the  minister  will  be  able 
to  keep  me  from  making  the  people  Catho- 
lics. From  Anvik  I  came  towards  home, 
about  fifteen  miles,  to  a  small  village,  Bane- 
jilla,  where  I  did  some  good ;  because  like  the 
people  of  the  other  small  village,  the  second 
I  visited,  the  inhabitants  of  Banejilla  have  no 
Shaman  nor  sticks,  and  besides  some  natives 
from   the  second  village,  by  telling  how   I 


62  An  American  Missionary 

taught,  made  them  anxious  to  see  me.  I 
stayed  three  days  teaching  the  prayers  and 
catechism,  baptized  three  infants  and  sixteen 
grown  persons,  and  married  several.  I  re- 
turned home  March  6th.  The  whole  dis- 
tance was  just  about  two  hundred  miles.  I 
took  with  me  some  bread,  corn-meal  and 
flour  mixed  for  making  cakes,  and  some  tea 
and  sugar.  I  got  all  the  dry  fish  and  rabbits 
we  wanted  from  the  Indians  for  a  little  tea  or 
tobacco.  My  bread  began  to  get  short  before 
I  was  half  way  round,  so  we  had  to  eat  dry 
fish  instead.  I  cooked  the  rabbits  and  eat 
the  dry  fish  with  them  just  as  bread  and  did 
not  find  it  bad.  The  last  few  days,  we  had 
no  sugar  and  very  little  salt  —  the  salt  I  miss 
more  than  anything  else. 

Such  was  my  first  trip  with  dogs  and 
sleigh  and  I  was  surprised  to  see  how  much 
the  dogs  can  do.  I  started  with  seven  and 
bought  four  on  the  way,  making  ^eleven, 
which  is  a  good  team.  It  was  lo''  below 
zero  the  day  I  started,  and  20°  below  the  day 
I  returned,  but  it  had  been  higher  many  days 
during  the  trip.  The  Fathers  had  told  me 
wheni  came,  that  the  best  temperature  for 
travelHng  was  from  10"  to  15°  below  zero. 
At  the  time,  I  could  liardly  believe  it,  but  I 
found  it  true.  The  sun  is  so  strong  that  as 
soon  as  the  temperature  gets  above  that,  the 
dogs  get  too  warm  and  cannot  run  as  well. 


On  the  Yukon  63 

I  expect  to  i;"o  over  the  same  tri])  in  a  boat  as 
soon  as  I  got  back  —  if  I  go  back,  and  not 
to  some  other  mission. 

Six  days  after  I  returned,  Father  Tosi 
started  to  see  the  Fathers  on  the  coast  at 
Cape  Vancouver  about  five  hundred  miles 
from  St.  Michael.  He  arrived  there  on 
Good  Friday,  stayed  about  a  w^eek,  and  re- 
turned on  the  2 1  St  of  April  (if  I  remember 
rightly),  making  a  trip  of  more  than  one 
thousand  miles.  He  had  to  travel  fast,  as 
the  weather  was  getting  warm,  and  there 
was  danger  of  the  ice  on  the  river  breaking. 
In  returning  he  travelled  all  night  and  rested 
in  the  day,  because  the  snow  was  too  soft 
after  the  sun  got  high. 

At  Easter  1  was  the  only  Father  at  Kos- 
erefsky,  so  we  could  not  have  very  grand 
services;  but  w^e  had  what  we  could.  The 
Sepulchre  looked  well.  Easter  was  a  beauti- 
ful, warm  day.  We  had  High  Mass  sung 
by  the  children,  who  sing  well,  and  the  day 
was  a  happy  one. 

During  the  whole  of  April  the  weather  at 
the  Mission  was  fine,  warm  days  with  bright 
sunshine,  and  cool  nights.  The  average 
temperature  for  the  past  twelve  months, 
taken  at  five  o'clock  in  the  morning,  was  a^s 
follows :  Julv  52°,  August  45°,  September  40°, 
October  '2/,  November  4  3-4°,  December 
-II  2-3",  January  -S\  March  13  1-4°,  April 


64  An  American  Missionary 

19^  May  30°,  June  50°,  all  Fahrenheit.  The 
coldest  spell  was  from  the  6th  to  the  26th  of 
December.  On  the  loth  it  was  50°  below 
and  on  the  nth  52°  below.  For  one  week 
it  did  not  get  above  --30°  at  any  time,  but  we 
did  not  suffer.  The  days  were  bright,  and 
the  nights  beautiful  and  clear,  and  our 
houses  are  so  warm  that  we  do  not  mind  the 
cold.  The  Fathers  on  the  coast  suffered 
much  more  than  we  did,  although  the  cold- 
est they  had  was  23°  below  zero;  but  their 
house  is  not  as  good  as  ours,  and  they  have 
much  more  wind.  I  am  sure  I  did  not  suffer 
as  much  from  the  cold  as  you  did  last  winter. 
What  I  feared  most  was  cold  feet,  but  to  my 
great  surprise  I  was  agreeably  disappointed. 
The  Indian  boots  which  we  wear  in  winter 
are  splendid.  They  are  made  of  sealskin, 
with  the  fur  outwards.  In  the  bottom  of 
each  boot  we  put  a  handful  of  straw  or  hay. 
We  put  on  a  couple  of  pairs  of  woolen  stock- 
ings or  a  piece  of  blanket  wrapped  around 
the  foot,  and  then  the  boots  with  the  straw, 
and  unless  one  gets  wet  the  cold  will  not 
trouble  him.  Instead  of  a  coat,  when  trav- 
elling, we  wear  what  they  call  a  Parky, 
which  is  made  of  fur,  deerskin  or  other 
skins,  in  the  shape  of  a  bag  with  sleeves,  and 
a  hood  that  has  an  edging  of  long  fur  which 
blows  across  the  face  and  keeps  the  wind 
from  cutting.     The  Parky  is  very  warm,  and 


ALASKAN   MISSIONARY   IN    WINTER   COSTUME 


On  the  Yukon  65 

as  it  has  no  opening  hke  a  coat  the  wind  can- 
not get  in.  It  generally  reaches  to  the 
knees. 

The  ice  on  the  Yukon  broke  on  the  13th 
of  May,  and  on  the  22nd  the  Company's 
steamer  came  up.  Every  spring  as  soon  as 
the  river  opens,  the  Alaska  Company  sends 
a  steamer  up  the  river,  principally  to  take 
provisions  to  the  miners  far  north,  and  bring 
down  the  traders  to  get  their  supplies  for  the 
coming  year.  It  goes  up  more  than  2,000 
miles.  When  the  steamer  comes  down,  we 
have  a  little  exhibition  and  entertainment 
by  the  school  children,  as  we  have  then  more 
whites  present  than  at  any  other  time.  This 
year  the  steamer  came  on  the  27th  of  June. 
About  4  o'clock  in  the  morning  its  whistle 
woke  us  up.  It  was  a  beautiful  morning. 
Now  the  sun  is  as  high  here  at  four  as  it  is 
with  you  at  nine  o'clock. 

As  soon  as  I  was  dressed,  I  went  down  to 
the  boat  and  invited  all  the  white  men  and 
some  Indians  to  come  to  see  the  school,  and 
they  all  came  except  two  ministers.  The 
children,  fifty-two  in  all,  were  already  up  and 
dressed.  The  bo3^s  had  nice  suits  from  the 
States,  and  the  girls  ver}^  pretty  dresses 
made  by  the  Sisters,  and  all  looked  well. 
When  the  people  came,  the  children  were 
already  in  the  large  school-room  ready  to 
begin.     The  program   was  as  follows: — A 


66  An  American  Missionary 

welcome  song  by  all  the  children;  a  little 
play  by  the  girls,  which  was  very  well  given; 
then  the  boys  came  in  as  a  company  of 
soldiers  with  wooden  guns  and  an  American 
flag.  After  drilling  for  a  few  minutes  they 
sang  three  songs,  and  six  of  them  spoke 
pieces.  Then  they  marched  out,  and  the  girls 
came  in,  and  performed  their  calisthenic 
exercises ;  after  which  they  all  sang  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner.  Then  each  class  gave  a 
specimen  of  reading,  writing,  spelling,  and 
arithmetic.  Both  the  entertainment  and  the 
lessons  pleased  and  surprised  all  present. 
All  the  children  speak  English.  We  do  not 
allow  a  word  of  Indian.  After  all  was  over, 
one  of  the  Government  Survey  party  took  a 
photograph  of  all  the  children,  the  Sisters, 
and  your  humble  servant  in  a  group,  another 
of  the  whole  Mission,  and  one  of  each  build- 
ing. Then  all  our  visitors  returned  to  the 
steamer,  one  of  the  Sisters  and  m3^self  ac- 
companying them. 

Father  Tosi  and  a  Brother  wxnt  down  in 
a  sailboat  a  week  ago  to  get  our  steamer 
wdiich  was  left  about  two  hundred  miles  be- 
low. A  Father  came  here  from  Nulato  a 
short  time  ago  to  remain  until  Father  Tosi 
or  I  return.  We  reached  St.  Michael  on 
June  30th,  and  found  here  the  steamer  from 
San  Francisco,  on  which  were  Father 
Barnum,  a  Brother,  and  three  Sisters  of  St. 


On  the  Yukon  67 

Ann.  This  was  i;'ood  news  for  us.  Father 
Barnum  dehghted  tlic  Captain  of  the 
steamer,  and  both  tJie  latter  and  the  Com- 
pany's Agent  here  congratulated  Father 
Superior  on  receiving  so  fine  a  man.  Fie 
will  do  great  good  I  am  sure.  When  I  left 
the  Mission  our  garden  was  looking  fme. 
We  have  cabbage,  turnips,  potatoes,  onions, 
radishes,  lettuce,  &c.,  &c.  Last  year  we  had 
a  good  deal  of  cabbage  and  turnips,  but  as 
we  had  only  a  few  potatoes  as  seed,  w^e  got 
only  about  two  bushels  of  potatoes,  all  of 
which  we  kept  for  seed,  and  have  planted 
them  this  year  and  hope  to  have  a  good  crop. 
Now  I  think  I  have  given  you  all  the  news 
I  can  from  this  quiet  little  world  of  ours. 
When  Father  Barnum  tells  me  all  the  news 
of  the  year  —  wars  and  rumors  of  war,  &c., 
&c.,  I  feel  thankful  that  I  have  been  called 
to  this  sweet  solitude.  We  hear  nothing  of 
all  the  events  that  agitate  the  world  until 
they  are  all  over  and  have  become  mere  facts 
of  history. 

July  4th. 
We  are  living  in  tents,  Fathers  Tosi  and 
Barnum  and  I  have  one,  and  Father  Treca 
and  two  Brothers  have  another.  Father 
Barnum  brought  a  nine-foot  American  flag, 
which  we  put  up  in  front  of  our  tent  last 
night  with  a  string  of  Chinese  lanterns.    The 


68  An  American  Missionary 

Government  Survey  party  who  came  down 
last  year  too  late  for  the  steamer  and  had  to 
winter  here,  have  a  house  and  a  tent  near 
ours  and  have  two  flags  up.  The  Company 
also  have  one  on  their  store-house,  and  the 
four  small  steamers  in  the  bay  and  the  St. 
Paul  from  San  Francisco  are  all  flying  their 
colors,  so  you  see  we  have  some  Fourth  of 
July  here  too;  besides,  the  Survey  Party 
fired  a  salute  of  ten  guns  in  the  morning, 
and  the  Company  fired  ten  at  noon. 

Father  Barnum  wall  go  to  the  coast  wdth 
Fathers  Treca  and  Muset  to  learn  the  lan- 
guage, and  in  the  spring  will  probably  be 
sent  to  start  another  mission  somewhere  in 
those  parts.  Fathers  Ragaru  and  Robaut 
will  remain  at  Nulato  and  I  shall  stay  at 
Koserefsky  with  Father  Tosi.  AM  the  Sis- 
ters w411  stay  at  Koserefsky  at  least  till 
spring  or  later,  until  we  have  another  school 
ready. 

We  have  not  been  able,  as  yet,  to  make  any 
great  showing  in  the  number  of  adult  con- 
verts. They  "have  more  on  the  coast  than 
we  have  on  the  river.  I  think  we  have  bap- 
tized about  six  hundred,  mostly  children,  or 
adults  in  danger  of  death.  I  think  six  chil- 
dren and  two  adults  whom  I  baptized  last 
winter  died  soon  after.  I  cannot  say  yet 
how  many  children  we  shall  have  at  the 
school  next  year.     We  are  not  losing  any 


On  the  Yukon  69 

this  year  and  will  get  a  good  many  more; 
so  I  am  sure  we  shall  have  a  good  school  the 
coming  year.  We  can  have  as  many  chil- 
dren as  we  can  take.  We  are  trying  to  have 
some  from  all  parts,  so  as  to  make  the  school 
and  its  advantages  known  throughout  the 
country.  It  has  already  done  us  immense 
good. 

All  the  whites  are  loud  in  their  praise  of 
what  we  are  doing.  None  of  the  Protestants 
have  boarding-schools,  and  none  of  their 
children  speak  English  as  ours  do.  It  is 
very  slow  work  to  teach  them  in  da3^-schools. 
I  had  from  twenty  to  thirty  children  from 
our  village  every  day  for  three  or  four 
months  last  winter.  I  taught  them  their 
catechism  and  prayers,  and  some  spelling 
and  reading,  for  about  three  hours  every  day. 
I  gave  most  of  the  time  to  the  catechism; 
yet  they  were  doing  well  in  English.  But 
when  they  stop  for  some  time  —  as  they 
must  when  they  are  not  boarders,  because, 
as  soon  as  spring  opens  they  leave  their 
homes  and  move  about  from  place  to  place, 
wherever  the  parents  can  find  the  best  fish- 
ing,—  they  forget  much  of  what  they  have 
learned.  We  have  not  the  great  numbers 
that  are  to  be  found  in  other  missions,  but 
we  have  plenty  to  do,  and  these  poor  souls 
are  as  dear  to  our  Lord  as  those  of  more 
favored  lands.     Besides,  the  Gospel  must  be 


70  An  American  Missionary 

preached  here  before  the  Book  of  Life  is 
closed.  God  is  blessing  our  Mission  very 
much,  and  we  have  reason  to  hope  that  He 
will  before  long  bring  the  great  majority  of 
these  poor  people  to  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  faith.  Good-by  for  another  year !  May 
God  bless  you  always  during  life,  but  es- 
pecially at  the  hour  of  death ! 
Your  Brother, 

Wilham  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

A  month  later  he  wrote  a  few  lines  about 
his  experience  on  the  river. 

Steamer  St.  Michael,  Aug.  6,  1891. 
Dear  Brother: 

I  was  very  sorry  I  had  to  be  so  brief  in  my 
last,  but  I  could  not  help  it;  and  now^  I  am 
writing  under  difficulties,  on  board  our  little 
steamer,  going  from  St.  Michael  to  our  Mis- 
sion. 

This  is  our  second  and  last  trip  this  year. 
I  am  Captain  and  Second  Engineer;  and  a 
Brother,  who  came  up  this  year,  is  First  En- 
gineer and  First  Mate.  We  run  the  boat 
turn  about,  six  hours  each.  I  ousrht  to  be 
asleep  now,  but  I  give  up  sleep  to  have  a 
little  chat  with  you;  although  it  will  be  a 
long  time  before  my  words  reach  you,  if 
indeed  you  get  them  at  all ;  for  I  am  writing 


On  the  Yukon  71 

in  the  hope  that  the  U.  S.  Revenue  Cutter 
will  not  reach  St.  Michael  before  this  gets 
there. 

We  came  down  from  the  Mission,  a  dis- 
tance of  about  four  hundred  miles,  in  three 
days;  but  it  takes  nearly  six  and  sometimes 
more  to  go  up. 

I  am  in  excellent  health  and  spirits,  and 
could  hardly  be  happier  in  this  world.  We 
have  beautiful  weather  here  now.  Last 
month  there  was  no  night,  now  there  are 
only  two  or  three  hours  of  it;  we  shall  have 
a  little  frost  in  September,  but  no  great  cold 
before  October.  May  God  bless  you  all! 
Good-by ! 

Your  loving  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  next  year's  work  is  reported  in  a  let- 
ter from  the  Mission  station  on  the  Shagaluk 
River: 

Shagaluk  River,  Alaska,  Aug.  3,  1892. 

Dear  Brother: 

T  write  this  in  a  tent  on  the  bank  of  the 
Shagaluk  River,  about  75  miles  northeast 
from  Holy  Cross  Mission.  I  came  here  ten 
days  ago  to  build  a  log-house,  which  is  to 
serve  as  a  church  and  a  residence.  It  will 
be  30  by  24  inside  and   two   stories  high. 


72  An  American  Missionary 

I  believe  Father  Superior  intends  to  put  9 
priest  here  as  soon  as  he  can  spare  one,  and 
until  that  time  it  will  be  a  station  visited  as 
often  as  possible  from  Holy  Cross  Mission. 
This  is  the  village  where  I  baptized  many  on 
my  first  trip,  of  which  I  gave  you  an  account 
in  my  letter  of  last  year.  That  letter  closed 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1891.  On  the  12th  of  the 
same  month  I  left  St.  Michael  in  our  steamer. 
We  had  three  boats  in  tow,  two  for  Holy 
Cross  Mission,  and  a  third  belonging  to  the 
Coast  Mission,  on  board  of  which  were 
Fathers  Treca  and  Barnum,  and  Brother 
Cunninp-ham,  with  their  provisions  for  the 
year.  They  also  had  a  large  skin  boat,  and 
four  or  five  hundred  feet  of  lumber  with 
which  to  fix  up  their  house  and  church.  We 
towed  the  Fathers  about  100  miles,  and  then 
left  them  to  sail  the  rest  of  their  way,  while 
we  continued  our  course  to  Holy  Cross, 
where  we  arrived  on  July  21st.  On  the  24th 
of  July  we  started  back  to  St.  Michael  to  get 
the  balance  of  our  goods;  but,  just  as  we  got 
under  way,  we  heard  shouting  and  the  report 
of  guns,  and  upon  looking  up  the  river  we 
saw  several  boats  rounding  the  bend  above 
the  Mission. 

At  first  we  thought  they  were  miners,  but 
presently  they  ran  up  the  American  flag,  and 
then  we  concluded  that  it  must  be  the  U.  S. 
Survey  party,  so  we  went  back  and  waited 


On  the  Yukon  73 

for  them.  Wlicn  they  came  near  we  found 
in  fact  that  they  were  Mr.  McGrath  and  liis 
men  who  had  Ijeen  up  north  for  two  years 
determining  the  boundary  Hne  between 
Alaska  and  British  America,  and  that  they 
wished  us  to  take  them  in  tow  to  St. 
Michael. 

After  giving  them  time  to  see  the  school, 
we  started  again  and  reached  St.  Michael  in 
three  days  —  very  good  time.*  Having 
loaded  our  boats  and  arranged  all  our  affairs 
with  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  we 
started,  on  the  evening  of  the  3rd  of  August, 
to  return  to  the  Mission.  It  was  raining  and 
the  sea  was  very  quiet,  so  we  were  hopeful 
of  a  good  trip.  We  have  about  75  miles  of 
sea  before  we  reach  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon. 
Once  in  the  river  we  are  all  right,  but  our 
boat  is  not  built  for  rough  seas ;  hence  we  are 
always  anxious  to  have  good  weather  for 
that  first  part  of  our  voyage. 

On  this  occasion  we  had  been  only  a  few 
hours  out  from  St.  Michael  when  it  began  to 
blow,  and  in  a  short  time  the  wind  increased 
to  a  storm.  We  were  out  of  sight  of  land, 
so  we  had  nothing  else  to  do  but  to  commend 

*  This  tow  to  St.  Michael  was  of  great  service  to  the  Survey- 
party.  By  aiding  them  to  get  out  that  summer,  it  possibly 
saved  them  a  year's  delay.  Father  Judge  took  the  kindest 
interest  in  the  party.  It  is  surprising  that  Uncle  Sam's  men 
allowed  the  m.issionaries  to  render  this  service,  as  the  angels 
do,  "  all  for  love  and  nothing  for  reward." 


74  An  American  Missionary 

ourselves  to  God  and  head  our  little  steamer 
against  the  wind  and  waves.  The  sea  soon 
became  very  rough,  and  the  waves  washed 
over  us  every  moment,  shaking  our  little 
craft  until  v\^e  thought  she  would  go  down; 
but,  thanks  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  whose  pict- 
ure w^e  kept  hanging  in  the  engine  room,  and 
to  St.  Michael,  vvhose  name  the  vessel  bears, 
we  were  not  allowed  to  perish.  During  the 
night  the  tow-line  caught  in  the  w^ood-work 
over  the  wheel,  and  broke  it  so  badly  that  we 
had  to  stop  the  engine  whilst  Brother  P.  and 
myself  went  out  in  the  rain  and  darkness  to 
fix  it  with  nails  and  ropes.  At  one  moment 
our  feet  were  in  the  water,  and  the  next  we 
were  high  in  the  air,  so  wildly  was  the  boat 
tossing  on  the  waves.  We  were  glad  when 
morning  came,  but  it  did  not  bring  us  calm, 
and  until  about  nine  o'clock  we  had  little 
hope  of  saving  ourselves  and  our  goods. 
God,  however,  watched  over  us,  hearing  our 
poor  prayers  and  those  of  our  friends  far 
away,  and  by  noon  we  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  where  we  found  shelter,  safe  and 
sound,  and  with  hearts  full  of  gratitude  to 
God.  Our  goods  were  only  slightly 
damaged.  The  rest  of  our  trip  was  very 
good  and  we  arrived  at  the  Mission  on  the 
Qth  of  August.  On  the  17th  we  went  to 
Nulato,  whence  we  returned   on  the  24th, 


On  the  Yukon  75 

and  then  we  put  up  the  steamer  for  the  win- 
ter. 

Father  Tosi  was  away  all  September  visit- 
ing the  Indians  on  the  Kuskokwim  River. 
As  soon  as  he  returned,  I  took  the  skin  boat, 
which  we  call  a  *'  Bidarka  "*  and  with  it 
went  to  visit  again  the  natives  on  the  Shaga- 
luk  River.  Our  ''  Bidarka  "  is  about  twen- 
ty-five feet  long  and  two  feet  wide.  It  is 
completely  closed  in,  with  the  exception  of 
three  circular  openings  in  the  top  or  deck, 
where  the  occupants  sit.  Each  rower  has  a 
paddle  about  four  feet  long,  with  which  he 
paddles  on  one  side  or  the  other  at  pleasure. 
A  boat  of  this  kind  carries  a  quantity  of 
goods  and  goes  very  fast,  thus  affording  the 
most  pleasant  means  of  travelling  in  Alaska. 

As  I  was  saying,  I  started  out  to  visit  the 
Indians  on  the  Shagaluk  River.  I  visited 
all  the  villages  to  see  if  there  were  any  chil- 
dren to  be  baptized  or  any  one  sick,  but  I 
could  not  stay  long  to  teach,  as  it  was  late 
in  the  season  and  there  was  danger  of  the 
river  freezing  at  any  time.  At  the  last  vil- 
lage on  the  Shagaluk  we  embarked  on  a  little 
river,  which,  the  natives  said,  would  lead  us 
to  the  Yukon.  It  is  a  very  pretty  stream, 
and  it  bore  us  to  a  chain  of  three  lakes,  each 
about  one  mile  long,  the  last  of  which  ended 

♦The  Russian  name  for  the   Eskimo  canoe,  better  known 

as  "  Kayak  "  or  "  Kiyak." 


76  An  American  Missionary 

only  a  few  feet  from  the  bank  of  the  Yukon. 
At  that  season  the  river  is  very  low^,  so  we 
had  to  let  our  boat  and  baggage  down  a 
steep  bank  of  more  than  twenty  feet.  The 
river  at  that  point  is  more  than  two  miles 
wide,  but  at  low  water  it  is  divided  in  the 
middle  by  a  sand-bar  of  more  than  a  mile  in 
width.  It  was  Sunday  evening  when  we 
reached  the  Yukon.  We  thought  it  would 
be  clear  sailing  homeward;  so,  as  it  was  cold 
and  windy,  we  camped  for  the  night.  After 
fixing  our  tent  in  as  sheltered  a  place  as  we 
could  find,  we  made  a  fire  and  cooked  our 
supper. 

During  the  night  it  got  very  cold  and  blew 
so  hard  that  our  tent  could  hardly  stand  it. 
In  the  morning  I  was  afraid  to  say  Mass  on 
account  of  the  high  wind,  so  we  took  our 
breakfast  and  started.  We  had  not  gone  far 
before  we  found  that  the  near  side  of  the 
river  was  closed  wnth  ice  too  thick  to  break. 
We  thereupon  left  our  boat  and  walked 
across  the  sand-bar  for  about  a  mile  to  see  if 
the  other  side  was  also  frozen.  Much  to  our 
relief  we  found  it  free  from  ice,  except  along 
the  bank.  The  current  is  much  stronger  on 
that  side,  which  fact  accounts  for  its  being 
open.  But  now  came  the  hardest  part  of  our 
trip;  for  we  had  to  carry  our  boat  and  bag- 
gage for  a  mile  against  a  cold  wind  that 
raised  the  sand  in  such  clouds,  that  we  could 


On  the  Yukon  77 

not  see  fifty  feet  ahead  of  us,  and  we  had  to 
direct  our  march  only  by  the  sun  on  one  side, 
and  a  high  mountain  on  the  other.  I  had 
but  one  Indian  man  and  a  boy  with  me;  so 
I,  with  the  man,  had  to  carry  the  boat.  I 
did  not  think  that  I  could  do  it  in  such  a 
storm,  but  we  can  do  much  more  than  we 
think  when  we  have  to.  With  a  good  many 
stops  we  managed  to  get  the  boat  over  to 
the  clear  water.  Once  in  the  open  river  we 
made  good  time,  for  now  we  were  going 
down  stream.  We  went  as  far  as  we  could 
that  day,  and  stopped  in  an  empty  ''  bara- 
bora ''  for  the  night.  The  next  day  we 
reached  home  before  noon,  having  made  the 
last  45  miles  in  six  and  a  half  hours. 

On  the  24th  of  November  I  started  to 
make  the  same  trip  again,  but  this  time  with 
a  sleigh  and  seven  good  dogs  instead  of  the 
boat.  I  visited  all  the  villages,  stopping 
three,  four,  or  more  days  in  each,  baptizing 
the  infants,  and  teaching  the  children  their 
prayers  and  catechism  all  day.  I  am  accus- 
tomed to  say  Mass  every  da}^  and,  as  our 
days  are  short  here  in  mid-winter,  it  was 
generally  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  before  we 
took  breakfast.  On  my  way  home  I  stopped 
again  at  Anvik.  Here  they  were  having  an 
Indian  feast  and  the  village  was  crowded 
with  strangers.     It  was  with  difficulty  that 


78  An  American  Missionary 

I  got  a  corner  in  the  Casino,  but  some  per- 
sons kindly  made  room  for  me. 

I  shall  try  to  give  you  an  idea  of  these 
Alaskan  feasts.  They  are  very  common 
among  the  Indians  and  are  their  principal 
amusement  during  the  w^inter.  When  the 
people  of  a  village  w^ish  to  make  a  feast,  they, 
after  making  their  preparations,  send  mes- 
sengers to  one  or  more  neighboring  villages 
to  invite  the  inhabitants  to  come  on  a  fixed 
day.  All  are  invited,  but  every  one  that 
comes  is  expected  to  bring  some  present 
with  him.  All  the  visitors  are  fed  by  the 
people  of  the  village.  I  arrived  in  Anvik 
just  in  time  to  see  the  whole  performance. 
About  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  the 
Casino  was  crowded  to  its  utmost,  they 
cleared  a  place  in  the  centre  where  they  had 
two  dishes  of  oil  with  tapers  burning  in  them 
to  light  the  room.  The  men  of  the  village 
then  sat  around  the  open  space  and  began 
to  sing  a  song  made  for  the  occasion,  in 
which  they  told  their  visitors  what  they 
would  like  to  have.  When  the  song  was 
ended  the  visitors  went  out  and,  after  a  little 
while,  returned  with  their  presents,  which 
they  thi'ew  in  a  pile  in  the  clear  space  in  the 
centre  of  the  Casino.  The  presents  con- 
sisted of  skins  of  all  kinds,  great  quantities 
of  drilling,  calico,  tobacco,  etc.  When  all 
the  presents   were  in,   the  Anvikians   sang 


On  the  Yukon  79 

again;  then  two  or  three  men  took  the  pres- 
ents and  divided  them  among  the  people  of 
the  village.  When  all  had  been  given  out, 
the  visitors  sang  as  the  others  had  done,  and 
then  the  men  of  Anvik  went  out  and  brought 
in  the  gifts  which  they  had  prepared  for  their 
guests.  After  another  song  these  presents 
were  distributed  among  the  visitors.  Then 
came  the  "  refreshments,"  which  consisted 
of  an  immense  dish  of  what  we  call  ice- 
cream. The  Alaskans  make  it  of  deer  fat, 
hard  snow,  and  berries,  which  they  beat  to- 
gether until  the  mixture  looks  just  like 
ice-cream.  When  well  made  it  not  only  re- 
sembles ice-cream,  but  tastes  like  it  too. 
^When  all  was  ready  a  stout  Indian  took  the 
dish,  having,  as  if  to  add  solemnity  to  the 
occasion,  taken  off  his  shirt,  and  began  to 
deal  out  the  ice-cream  with  his  hand  to  all 
the  visitors  as  far  as  it  went.  After  that  the 
entertainers  sang  again,  and  the  visitors 
brought  in  more  presents,  which  were  di- 
vided up  as  before.  Then  all  fell  to  eating 
dry  fish  and  oil  before  going  to  sleep.  It 
was  midnight  before  all  was  over. 

Such  are  the  feasts  these  Indians  are  con- 
stantly making  in  one  village  or  another, 
nearly  all  the  winter.  They  are  harmless, 
but  we  cannot  do  anything  while  they  are 
going  on  or  for  some  weeks  before  the}^  be- 
gin; because,  while  they  are  practising  the 


80  An  American  Missionary 

songs  and  dances,  the  children  are  so  excited 
that  they  can  think  of  nothing  else.  I  forgot 
to  mention  above  that  these  people  have 
masquerades  of  their  own  for  some  nights 
before  the  distribution  of  the  presents.  For 
these  dances,  they  carve,  out  of  wood,  faces 
of  men,  some  very  large,  say  two  feet  or 
more,  and  some  only  a  few  inches  in  length, 
and  also  heads  of  animals  of  all  kinds.  When 
they  dance,  they  put  on  these  masks  and 
imitate  the  animals  that  they  represent.  In 
their  dances,  as  a  general  thing,  only  the  men 
take  part.  They  do  not  join  hands  nor  even 
touch  one  another,  but  each  dancer  simply 
goes  through  certain  motions  or  gesticula- 
tions, in  accordance  with  the  character  that 
his  mask  represents. 

I  remained  only  one  day  at  Anvik,  on  ac- 
count of  the  feast,  and  then  returned  home, 
stopping  one  day  at  a  little  village  on  the 
way. 

During  this  trip  we  had  some  very  cold 
weather,  and  it  happened  that  I  was  travel- 
ling in  the  worst  of  it.  For  two  or  three 
days  the  thermometer  fell  to  50"  below  zero. 
On  those  days  I  had  ice  on  my  eyebrows  and 
eyelashes  and  often  a  cake  of  ice  on  my 
cheek.  All  my  clothing  too,  was  covered 
with  a  white  frost  wherever  the  natural 
warmth  of  the  body  penetrated  and  came  in 
contact  with  the  glacial  atmosphere.     The 


On  the  Yukon  81 

weather,  however,  was  clear  and  the  sun 
bright,  and  I  ran  all  the  time  behind  the 
sleigh,  guiding  it.  This  kept  me  very  warm 
and  even  made  my  head  perspire,  but  as  soon 
as  the  perspiration  came  from  under  my  cap 
it  was  turned  to  ice  on  my  face. 

We  did  not  suffer  much.  When  we 
stopped  for  dinner,  we  started  a  big  fire, 
made  tea,  and  warmed  the  bread  that  we  had 
with  us.  We  had  to  eat  fast,  and  right  over 
the  lire.  Once  I  went  to  pick  up  a  tin  plate 
near  the  fire  with  my  bare  hand,  but  I 
dropped  it  as  quickly  as  if  it  had  been  red- 
hot,  and  wherever  it  touched  my  fingers, 
they  were  white  as  though  burned.  The 
same  happened  on  another  occasion  when  I 
touched  a  spoon.  When  it  is  so  cold,  you 
cannot  touch  any  metal  without  first  holding 
it  to  the  fire  to  take  out  the  frost.  When 
one  touches  metal  at  a  temperature  of  50° 
below  zero,  the  sensation  is  just  the  same  as 
that  produced  by  burning,  but  the  injury  is 
more  easily  cured  if  the  metal  has  not  been 
held  long  enough  to  take  the  skin  off.  When 
we  are  frost-bitten,  we  have  only  to  rub  the 
part  affected  with  snow  until  the  whiteness 
disappears,  and  then  no  harm  results  from  it. 
I  have  not  had  my  face  frozen  yet.  The  boy 
that  travels  with  me  has  been  nipped  two  or 
three  times,  but  I  always  saw  the  discolora- 
tion of  the  skin  in  time  and  "  rubbed  it  out.'' 


82  An  American  Missionary 

I  returned  from  this  trip  on  the  i8th  of 
December,  just  in  time  to  prepare  for  Christ- 
mas. As  one  of  the  Fathers  from  the  coast 
was  with  us  this  year  we  were  able  to  have 
a  Solemn  Midnight  Mass.  Father  Tosi  was 
celebrant,  Father  Muset  deacon,  and  I  sub- 
deacon.  We  had  the  crib  as  last  year,  only 
a  little  larger,  and  the  church  was  dressed  in 
evergreen.  I  said  my  first  Mass  at  8  o'clock, 
the  second  immediately  after,  and  sang  High 
Mass  at  9  o'clock.  In  the  afternoon  we  had 
Solemn  Benediction.  We  got  one  of  the 
large  boys  to  play  Santa  Claus  this  year,  but 
he  did  not  succeed  in  disguising  himself  as 
I  did  last  year.  We  had  a  happy  Christmas, 
and  I  enjoyed  the  religious  part  of  the  cele- 
bration especially. 

I  expected  to  make  another  trip  in  Jan- 
uary or  February,  but  a  bad  cold  laid  me  up 
for  three  weeks  and  the  serious  illness  of 
Father  Superior  prevented  me  from  doing  so. 

On  the  loth  of  March  our  oldest  boy  and 
best  interpreter  died.  He  was  baptized 
by  Archbishop  Seghers,  and  he  was  the  first 
boy  that  Father  Superior  took,  about  five 
years  ago.  He  was  always  sickly  and  suf- 
fered nearly  all  the  time,  but  he  bore  the 
pains  with  patience.  He  was  about  seven- 
teen years  old,  of  far  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence,  quick-tempered,  but  with  a  good 
heart.     His   faith   was   strong  and   he   was 


On  the  Yukon  83 

never  happier  than  when  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  speak  against  the  medicine  men. 
He  was  taken  seriously  sick  in  January,  and 
about  the  ist  of  March  he  began  to  sink 
rapidly.  At  first  he  did  not  want  to  die, 
but  when  the  end  came  he  was  perfectly  re- 
signed. Having  received  Extreme  Unction 
and  Holy  Viaticum,  he  died  just  as  I  had 
finished  giving  the  last  absolution.  His 
death  was  a  loss  for  the  Mission,  but  it  was 
a  great  consolation  to  us  to  see  him  make 
so  good  an  end. 

We  have  had  in  all  80  children  this  year — 
38  boys  and  42  girls.  They  are  so  good  that 
they  have  given  us  great  consolation.  Six- 
teen or  seventeen  of  them  have  made  their 
First  Communion  and  are  ver}^  edifying. 
They  would  go  to  Communion  every  week 
if  we  allowed  them  to  do  so.  These  children 
are  our  greatest  hope  for  the  future.  As  they 
are  taken  from  all  parts,  we  hope  that  when 
they  return  to  their  homes  they  will  sow  the 
good  seed  everywhere. 

When  the  steamer  came  down,  the  chil- 
dren gave  a  little  entertainment  for  the  visi- 
tors, singing,  speaking,  and  acting,  all  in 
English,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  those 
among  the  whites  that  had  not  visited  our 
school  before;  indeed,  some  of  them  sur- 
prised myself,  they  did  so  well.  Three  more 
Sisters  came  to  our  Mission  this  year,  whilst 


84  An  American  Missionary 

one  of  those  that  were  already  here  had  to 
return  on  account  of  sickness.  As  our  sec- 
ond school  is  not  yet  ready,  all  our  Sisters, 
eight  in  number,  will  remain  at  Holy  Cross 
for  the  present.  Hence  we  may  hope  to 
have  a  fine  school  there  during  the  coming 
year. 

We  made  a  large  garden  this  year  and 
planted  two  bushels  of  potatoes,  a  quantity 
of  cabbage,  turnips,  beets,  etc.,  but  the  sea- 
son has  been  so  very  cool  and  wet  that  I  fear 
we  shall  not  have  half  the  crop  we  hoped  for. 

The  ice  on  the  Yukon  broke,  this  year,  on 
May  15th,  and  as  soon  as  the  river  was  clear 
I  came  up  here  to  get  logs  for  the  proposed 
new  house.  The  Indians  had  told  Father 
Superior  that  he  could  get  plenty  of  logs 
when  the  ice  went  out,  and  he  thought  they 
meant  drift  logs.  When  I  came,  I  asked 
them  to  show  me  where  the  logs  were.  After 
taking  me  a  long  way  up  the  river,  they 
pointed  to  a  pine  forest  saying:  "  There  are 
the  logs."  So  we  had  to  go  to  work  and  cut 
our  timber.  We  reached  the  woods  on  a 
Wednesday  evening  and  began  work  at  once. 
After  cutting  sixty-eight  good  logs,  we  made 
them  into  rafts  on  the  river  and  brought 
them  down  to  this  place,  so  that  by  Saturday 
night  we  had  our  lumber  all  piled  on  the  bank 
here  ready  for  use.  On  Sunday  morning  I 
said  Mass  in  the  village  and  then  we  returned 
to  Koserefsky. 


On  the  Yukon  85 

Now  I  have  come  up  again  to  do  what  I 
can  on  the  new  house,  until  our  steamer  gets 
back  from  the  coast  and  comes  to  take  me  to 
Nulato.  I  expect  to  be  here  for  three  or  four 
weeks.  We  have  two  tents,  one  of  which  we 
use  for  kitchen,  dining-room,  etc.,  and  the 
other  I  keep  for  myself,  so  as  to  have  a  clean 
place  in  which  to  say  Mass.  I  have  two  boys 
from  our  school  to  cook  and  help  generally, 
and  I  take  ten  or  twelve  Indians  every  day 
from  the  village  to  work.  I  have  to  board 
them,  so  we  have  quite  a  little  hotel.  It  has 
been  raining  nearly  every  day  since  I  got 
here,  which  keeps  the  work  back  very  much. 
The  weather  is  warm  and  the  mosquitoes  are 
so  thick  that  I  have  to  smoke  my  tent  every 
morning  to  drive  them  out,  else  I  could  not 
say  Mass.  To-day  it  is  raining  so  hard  that 
the  men  cannot  work,  and  I  take  the  oppor- 
tunity to  send  you  this  little  account  of  the 
year.  The  man  that  is  to  be  the  bearer  of  it 
is  waiting,  so  I  must  hurry  and  send  it  with- 
out even  looking  over  it.  In  the  union  of  the 
Sacred  Hearts  of  Jesus  and  Mary, 
Your  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  work  of  this  year  was  reported  also  to 
his  Superior  in  the  form  of  diary,  a  part  of 
which  we  give,  even  at  the  risk  of  some  slight 
repetition. 


86  An  American  Missionary 

Holy  Cross  Mission,  Alaska, 
June  2nd,  1892, 
Very  Rev.  and  Dear  Father  Superior: 

Another  year  has  passed;  how  quickly 
they  go  when  we  are  busy  !  The  days, 
weeks,  and  months  are  all  too  short,  and  the 
year  is  passed  before  we  know  it. 

On  the  24th  of  November  I  started  with  a 
sleigh  and  seven  dogs  to  visit  the  Indians  I 
have  been  attending  on  the  Shagaluk.  I  will 
give  you  my  diary  for  the  trip  so  that  you 
may  see  w4iat  w^e  do  on  these  excursions.  I 
started  with  a  boy  and  an  Indian  about  10 
o'clock,  halted  at  12  o'clock  to  make  tea,  and 
reached  the  first  stopping-place  about  5  P.  M. 
Good  road,  distance  about  35  miles.  Fixed 
our  supper  of  fried  fish,  tea,  and  hot  steam 
bread  made  in  my  patent  oven  which  I  used 
for  the  first  time  on  this  trip  and  found  to  be 
a  great  success.  It  consists  of  a  sheet-iron 
camp-kettle  about  10  inches  high,  in  which  I 
have  put  some  pieces  of  iron  so  as  to  support 
two  round  tin  pans,  one  over  the  other. 
When  I  w^ant  to  bake,  I  fill  the  pot  with  wa- 
ter up  to  the  first  iron,  mix  my  soda  bread, 
put  it  in  the  pans,  cover  the  kettle  and  hang 
it  over  the  fire.  The  steam  cooks  the  bread 
very  nicely,  and  you  have  no  trouble  with  it, 
as  it  cannot  burn;  and,  as  the  fire  around  the 
kettle  keeps  it  hot,  there  is  no  distillation; 


On  the  Yukon  87 

and,  therefore,  the  hread  comes  out  dry  and 
nice.  One  hour  will  cook  a  large  loaf.  It  is 
a  great  improvement  on  frying  cakes  which 
is  always  difficult  on  a  camp-fire,  and  more 
especially  so  when  the  weather  is  very  cold. 
After  supper  I  gave  a  little  instruction  and 
we  went  to  hed.  At  this  place  there  are  only 
two  baraboras  and  about  eight  or  ten  In- 
dians. 

Next  morning,  the  25th,  I  said  Mass  and 
gave  an  instruction.  We  took  breakfast  and 
started  at  10.45  ^^r  the  next  stopping-place, 
about  ten  miles  distant.  We  had  clear  ice  all 
the  way  and  went  as  fast  as  the  dogs  could 
run,  and  arrived  there  at  12.15.  Took  din- 
ner —  tea  and  crackers  —  taught  catechism 
to  three  children  and  four  grown  persons, 
took  a  walk  to  say  my  Office,  cooked  supper 
—  rabbits,  tea,  and  hot  bread  —  taught  cate- 
chism, said  Litanies,  etc.,  and  went  to  bed. 

On  the  26th,  which  was  Thanksgiving 
Day,  I  said  Mass  in  a  log-house  belonging  to 
an  Indian  at  this  place,  took  breakfast, 
taught  catechism,  and  started  at  1 1.30  for  the 
first  village,  which  we  reached  at  12.30.  Here 
I  made  a  big  pot  of  tea  in  the  Casino,  and  let 
all  present  drink  of  it.  We  took  some  tea 
and  crackers  for  our  dinner,  taught  cate- 
chism, took  a  walk,  had  supper,  and  went  to 
bed.    Thus  I  spent  Thanksgiving  Day. 

On  the  27th,  I  said  Mass  in  the  Casino, 


88  An  American  Missionary 

gave  some  instruction  and  catechism,  took 
breakfast  at  lo  o'clock,  visited  the  sick, 
taught  catechism,  took  a  Httle  lunch,  taught 
catechism,  v^alked,  took  supper,  gave  an  in- 
struction, and  v^ent  to  bed. 

On  the  28th  I  said  Mass,  gave  an  instruc- 
tion, took  breakfast  at  10  o'clock,  and  started 
at  1 1  for  the  next  village,  which  v^e  reached 
at  2.30  —  road  good  most  of  the  way.  As 
soon  as  we  arrived,  we  went  to  the  Casino, 
took  some  tea  and  crackers,  made  a  pot  of 
tea  for  the  men,  talked  awhile,  went  for  a 
walk,  took  supper  and  went  to  bed. 

The  29th  was  Sunday.  Said  Mass  at  8.30; 
instruction  after  Mass.  Breakfast  at  10 
o'clock,  taught  catechism,  visited  the  sick, 
walked,  taught  catechism,  gave  some  instruc- 
tion, took  supper,  and  walked  till  bedtime. 
November  30th,  Mass  8.30,  instruction, 
breakfast  10.30,  catechism,  walk,  catechism, 
supper,  and  bed.  In  winter  the  days  are  so 
short  that,  when  travelling,  I  generally  take 
only  two  meals,  as  after  Mass  we  cannot  get 
breakfast  before  10  and  sometimes  1 1  o'clock. 

Dec.  I.  Mass  at  8.30,  instruction,  cate- 
chism, breakfast  10.30,  catechism,  recess, 
catechism,  walked  while  they  made  fire  in 
the  Casino,  catechism,  supper  6.30,  prayers 
for  the  Indians,  and  bed. 

Dec.  2.  Mass  at  8,  prayers,  instructions, 
catechism,  breakfast  10.15,  catechism,  recess. 


On  the  Yukon  89 

catechism  till  2.30,  walk,  catechism  at  5, 
singing  of  hymns,  supper,  walk,  prayers,  and 
bed. 

Dec.  3.  Mass  at  8,  catechism,  breakfast 
10.30,  baptized  a  little  girl  three  years  old, 
catechism,  walk,  catechism,  supper,  and  bed. 

Dec.  4.  Mass  at  7.30,  instruction,  cate- 
chism, breakfast  10.30,  baptized  Jane,  four 
months  old,  and  started  for  the  next  village 
12.30.  This  is  the  village  where  I  baptized 
most  of  the  people  last  year.  I  take  a  boy 
and  a  girl  with  me  to  the  school.  At  2.45 
we  reached  the  next  village  —  road  good, 
but  weather  very  cold,  at  least  30  below  zero. 
By  the  time  we  had  put  our  things  in  order, 
got  warm,  and  taken  supper,  it  was  bedtime. 

Dec.  5.  Mass  in  the  Casino  at  8,  instruc- 
tion, talk,  breakfast  at  11,  baptized  two  chil- 
dren, walked  while  they  made  fire,  catechism, 
supper,  etc.,  and  bed. 

Dec.  6.  Sunday,  Mass  at  8.45,  instruction, 
catechism,  breakfast  11. 10,  baptized  five  chil- 
dren, at  2  o'clock  went  about  a  mile  from  the 
village  and  baptized  one  little  girl,  and  re- 
turned for  supper. 

Dec.  7.  Mass  at  8,  instruction,  catechism, 
breakfast  10;  went  about  three  miles  to  a  ba- 
rabora  where  there  were  a  woman  and  two 
children  who  wished  to  be  baptized.  I  found 
them  to  be  good,  simple  people,  living  alone 
and  seldom  going  to  the  village;  so  I  in- 


90  An  American  Missionary 

structed  them  as  well  as  I  could  and  bap- 
tized them. 

Dec.  8.  Feast  of  the  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion, Mass  8.30,  catechism,  breakfast  10.30, 
catechism,  baptized  one  girl,  catechism, 
walk,  supper,  bed. 

Dec.  9.  No  Mass,  breakfast  6.30,  started 
at  8  for  the  next  village  about  forty  miles  off, 
stopped  at  11.30  to  make  tea,  and  reached  the 
village  at  5.30.  Very  bad  road,  or  rather  no 
road ;  we  had  to  break  the  snow\  Very  cold, 
50  below  zero,  but  no  wind.  Supper  7.30, 
bed. 

Dec.  10.  Mass  at  8.30,  catechism,  break- 
fast at  10.30,  catechism  at  12,  went  to  an- 
other village  about  5  miles  away  and  bap- 
tized one  little  girl,  returned  at  5.45,  supper, 
bed. 

Dec.  II.  Mass  at  8,  catechism,  breakfast, 
catechism,  tried  to  get  a  dying  man  to  receive 
the  last  Sacraments,  but  could  not,  visited 
some  sick  people  and  gave  them  medicine; 
catechism,  walk,  supper,  etc. 

Dec.  12.  No  mass,  breakfast  at  6.30; 
started  at  8  to  return  to  the  villag:e  we  were 
last  at;  stopped  at  12  to  make  tea,  very  cold, 
about  50  below  zero,  but  not  uncomfortable 
as  there  was  no  wind.  At  four  we  reached 
the  village.  We  came  by  a  different  road 
from  the  one  by  which  we  went ;  it  was 
longer,  but  much  better;  supper,  prayers,  etc. 


On  the  Yukon  91 

Dec.  13.  Mass  at  8.30,  catechism,  break- 
fast at  10.45,  catechism,  walk,  supper, 
prayers,  etc. 

Dec.  14.  No  Mass.  In  winter  when  we 
have  a  long  distance  to  go  we  cannot  say 
Mass,  as  the  Indians  who  sleep  in  the  Casino 
do  not  get  up  in  time.  Breakfast  5.30;  at 
6.30  started  for  Anvik,  distant  about  50 
miles.  Stopped  at  12  for  dinner,  and  reached 
Anvik  at  4.20.  I  found  the  people  making  a 
feast,  which  means  that  a  village  invites  the 
Indians  of  one  or  more  villages  to  come  for 
one  or  more  days  and  eat  as  much  as  they 
can;  but  all  who  come  must  bring  some 
present  for  their  entertainers,  skins,  cloth, 
tobacco,  tea,  etc.  The  visitors  also  receive 
some  gifts  from  their  hosts.  I  gave  eight  red 
handkerchiefs  and  received  two  mink  skins 
in  return.  After  distributing  the  last  gifts, 
they  began  to  eat,  and  it  was  past  midnight 
before  I  could  get  to  sleep. 

Dec.  15.  No  Mass,  the  Casino  was  too 
crowded;  no  room  to  fix  my  altar.  After 
breakfast  I  went  across  the  river  to  the  tra- 
der's house  to  get  some  flour.  He  received 
me  very  kindly  and  offered  me  a  place  to 
stay.  As  the  village  was  so  crowded  T  ac- 
cepted his  offer  and  went  back  to  get  my 
sleigh  and  baggage.  T  spoke  with  the  In- 
dians in  the  Casino  for  some  time  about  the 
necessity  of  prayer,  etc.,  and  then  went  over 


92  An  American  Missionary 

to  the  trader's  house.  He  is  a  brother  of  the 
Russian  priest,  but  could  not  have  treated 
me  better  if  he  had  been  my  own  brother;  he 
invited  me  to  dinner  w^ith  him,  fed  my  dogs, 
and  paid  me  every  attention. 

I  had  intended  to  stay  some  days  in  the 
village,  but  w^hen  they  have  these  feasts,  you 
can  do  nothing;  they  are  all  too  busy,  even 
the  children  are  too  excited  to  learn,  and  be- 
sides, as  they  are  up  all  night  they  must  sleep 
during  the  day. 

Dec.  i6.  I  did  not  say  Mass,  as  I  w^as  in 
the  house  of  a  Russian.  Took  breakfast  with 
the  trader,  and  started  towards  home  at  9. 
Stopped  at  12  for  tea,  and  at  3  stopped  at  a 
small  village  about  twenty  miles  from  home. 

Dec.  17.  Mass  at  8,  catechism,  breakfast 
10.30,  catechism,  walk,  catechism,  instruc- 
tion, supper,  prayers,  etc. 

Dec.  18.  No  Mass,  started  about  5  for 
home,  stopped  at  9  for  tea,  started  again  at 
10,  and  reached  home  at  i  —  very  cold,  but 
clear,  fine  weather.  Several  times  during 
this  trip  it  was  so  cold  that,  when  cooking 
dinner  outside,  if  I  touched  a  plate,  cup, 
spoon,  etc.,  it  felt  like  picking  up  red-hot  iron, 
and  made  my  fingers  white  immediately.  On 
the  two  or  three  days  when  it  was  50  degrees 
below  zero,  I  had  ice  on  my  eyebrows,  eye- 
lashes, and  even  on  my  cheeks,  every  place 
where  any  heat  from  the  body  came  in  con- 


On  the  Yukon  93 

tact  with  the  cold;  but  still  I  did  not  suffer. 
All  I  wore  on  the  coldest  days  was  one  flan- 
nel shirt,  an  old  knitted  jacket,  and  a  squir- 
rel-skin parky  or  Indian  over-dress,  very 
light  but  warm. 

Father  Tosi  returned  from  the  coast  on 
Holy  Thursday,  April  14;  and  on  Easter 
Monday  started  for  the  Shagaluk  to  see  the 
Indians  I  have  been  visiting".  It  was  the  first 
time  he  had  been  there.  He  had  to  go  quick- 
ly as  the  snow  was  melting,  and  he  returned 
April  28.  He  was  much  pleased  with  the 
Indians  and  promised  to  build  a  house  in  one 
of  the  most  central  villages  this  summer. 

On  the  15th  of  May  the  ice  broke  on  the 
Yukon.  We  were  anxious  for  the  safety  of 
our  steamer,  fearing  that  the  ice  might  crush 
it,  but  St.  Joseph  and  St.  Michael  pushed  the 
ice  all  to  the  far  side  of  the  river  and  left  the 
boat  in  clear  water.  No  one  ever  before  saw 
the  ice  go  out  as  it  did  this  year;  this  looked 
like  an  answer  to  our  prayers. 

The  Company's  steamer  w^ent  up  the  river 
on  the  25th  of  May  and  will  be  down  again 
about  the  12th  of  this  month ;  that  will  be  the 
last  chance  to  send  our  letters  out,  at  least 
by  the  St.  Paul. 

June  7.  Father  Muset  started  yesterday 
in  a  three-hatch  bidarka  or  skin  boat  to  visit 
the  Indians  on  the  Kuskokwim  river.  He  ex- 
pects to  be  away  five  or  six  weeks.    So  now 


94  An  American  Missionary 

I  am  alone.  Brother  John  is  hard  at  work  on 
the  garden.  He  has  planted  about  ten  bush- 
els of  good  potatoes  which  we  raised  last 
year,  and  a  good  lot  of  cabbage,  turnips, 
beets,  etc.  Last  year  we  had  cabbage  and 
turnips  for  the  whole  winter,  and  this  year 
we  hope  to  have  a  good  crop  of  potatoes 
which  will  not  only  be  very  agreeable  and 
healthy,  but  will  save  flour  and  thus  lessen 
expenses.  The  cabbage  and  turnips  we  had 
this  year  improved  our  fare  very  much.  One 
in  the  States  who  has  never  been  without 
vegetables  for  any  length  of  time,  cannot 
imagine  what  a  luxury  they  are.  When  the 
traders  and  others  who  have  not  had  any  for 
years  visit  us,  they  enjoy  them  immensely. 
From  far  and  near,  the  natives,  the  traders, 
and  even  the  Russian  priest,  send  to  us  for 
medicine  when  they  are  very  sick,  and  fre- 
quently they  come  to  be  cured. 

Brother  and  I  are  well.  Two  of  the  Sisters 
are  very  sick,  but  they  manage  to  keep  up 
and  do  a  great  deal  of  work. 

Kind  regards  to  all.  Pray  for  us  that  God 
mav  continue  to  bless  us  in  the  future  as  He 
has  in  the  past. 

Your  humble  servant  in  Christ, 

Wm.  H.  Judge. 

The  next  year  wr^s  spent  by  Father  Judge 
at   Nulato,  that  settlement  on  the  Yukon, 


-^  #^-1^^^. 


ARCHBISHOP   CHARLES    J.    SEGHERS 
The  Apostie  of  Alaska 


On  the  Yukon  95 

which  the  Apostle  of  Alaska,  the  noble  Arch- 
bishop Seghers  was  striving  to  reach,  when 
he  was  so  strangely  murdered  by  his  own  at- 
tendant. 

When  about  forty  miles  from  Nulato,  the 
Archbishop  stopped  for  the  night  in  a  poor 
cabin.  He  had  with  him  two  natives,  and 
his  attendant,  Fuller,  whom  the  kind-hearted 
prelate  used  to  call  "  brother."  To  say  the 
least,  Fuller  was  weak-minded  and  eccentric. 

For  some  time  he  had  been  acting  strange- 
ly and  rudely.  During  the  night  in  question, 
he  was  restless  and  got  up  twice.  The 
Archbishop  told  him  to  lie  down  and  try  to 
sleep. 

Towards  morning.  Fuller  went  out  and 
got  his  gun  from  the  sled.  To  rid  himself 
of  one  of  the  Indians,  he  sent  him  to  get 
some  ice;  the  other  seemed  to  be  still  asleep. 
Fuller  threw  some  handfuls  of  birch  bark  on 
the  fire  to  make  a  blaze,  then  called  out, 
"Bishop,  get  up!"  and  levelled  his  gun  at 
his  victim. 

The  Archbishop  had  risen  to  a  sitting  posi- 
tion on  the  bearskin  which  served  him  as  a 
couch,  and  when  he  saw  Fuller's  gun  aimed 
at  him,  he  seemed  to  take  in  the  situation  at 
a  glance.  He  crossed  his  arms  upon  his 
breast,  and  bowed  his  head  as  the  assassin 
fired.  The  bullet  grazed  the  heart  of  the 
devoted   missionary,   and   his    spirit   passed 


96  An  American  Missionary 

from  that  cold  and  dreary  scene  of  his  lat)ors 
to  the  Hght,  life,  and  joy  promised  to  5.uch 
faithful  servants  of  God. 

Some  idea  of  the  year's  work  is  giveTi  in 
the  following  letters. 

St.  Peter  Claver's  Mission, 
Nulato,  Alaska,  November  22nd,  1892. 
Dear  Sister: 

There  is  a  gentleman  here  who  will  start 
in  a  few  days  to  go  to  the  States  overland; 
which  means  to  go  eighteen  hundred  miles 
in  a  dog-sleigh,  before  he  can  get  any  of  the 
modern  conveniences  of  travel.  It  will-  take 
him  about  three  months  to  make  the  trip; 
so  you  will  probably  receive  this  next  March 
or  thereabouts,  if  all  goes  well  with  him. 

As  you  see  from  the  heading,  I  am  not  at 
Holy  Cross  Mission  this  year,  but  about  two 
hundred  miles  north  of  it.  The  climate  is 
about  the  same;  the  coldest  we  have  had,  so 
far,  this  winter  is  34  below  zero.  The  In- 
dians are  more  civilized  than  those  lower 
down  the  river,  at  least  in  their  manner  of 
living.  They  all  live  in  log-houses,  and 
some  keep  them  very  clean.  They  have 
inixed  much  more  than  the  others  with  white 
men,  especially  the  miners,  which  accounts 
in  part  for  the  difference;  but  all  the  north- 


On  the  Yukon  97 

ern    Indians    are    cleaner    and    have    better 
houses  than  those  near  the  coast. 

It  is  slow  work  to  convert  the  grown  peo- 
ple. A  Father  has  been  here  four  years,  and 
he  is  only  now  beginning  to  get  a  few  to 
their  duties.  He  has  about  sixteen  com- 
municants, mostly  women,  including  two 
young  women  who  came  from  the  school 
last  summer.  It  is  wonderful  what  a  change 
a  few  years  at  the  school  make  in  these  chil- 
dren. When  they  go  there,  they  know 
nothing  higher  than  this  world;  but  after 
three  or  four  years,  they  are  more  anxious  to 
save  their  souls  than  to  do  anything  else; 
they  go  frequently  to  Confession  and  Holy 
Communion  of  their  own  accord,  come  to 
Mass  every  day  when  they  can,  say  their 
beads,  and  give  great  edification.  But  what 
shows  most  of  all  how  solid  is  their  faith,  is 
the  manner  in  which  they  die.  So  far  we 
have  had  three  deaths  among  those  who 
have  been  at  the  school,  and  all  have  been 
most  edifying  and  consoling. 

The  last  death  was  that  of  a  boy  about 
fourteen  years  old.  When  he  came  to  the 
school  he  was  a  little  wild  Indian;  but  the 
excellent  training  of  the  Sisters  soon  began 
to  bear  fruit;  and,  although  he  was  not  as 
bright  as  some  others,  he  made  up  for  it  by 
hard  work;  and,  about  a  year  before  he  died, 


98  An  American  Missionary 

he  was  well  enough  instructed  to  make  his 
First  Communion. 

First  Communion  makes  a  great  change 
in  all  these  children,  but  especially  was  ifs 
effect  noticed  in  this  boy.     From  that  day, 
no  one  could  make  him  angry,  and  he  be- 
came so  obliging  and  kind  to  everyone  that 
all  loved  him  exceedingly.  It  was  a  real  pleas- 
ure to  give  him  any  work  to  do,  he  did  it  so 
willingly  and   cheerfully.     He   was   always 
smiling  as  though  he  could  not  hide  the  joy 
and  peace  of  his  heart.     But  God  wished  to 
try  him  for  our  edification  and  his  greater 
merit,  and  so,  sent  him  a  cross  heavy  for  one 
of  his  age  and  disposition,  for  he  was  natur- 
ally very  lively.     Soon  after  Christmas  last, 
he  sprained  one  of  his  ankles  several  times; 
but,   with   treatment,   it   seemed   to   get   all 
right  again.     Soon  after,  one  evening,  with- 
out any  warning,  w^hen  he  was  as  lively  and 
happy  as  ever,  he  had  a  severe  hemorrhage, 
which  weakened  him  very  much ;  and  while 
he  was  in  bed  on  account  of  that,  the  ankle 
he  had  sprained  began  to  swell  and  became 
very  painful,  especially  when  he  moved  it. 
So  he  had  to  remain  in  bed  the  greater  part 
of  the  time.     All  spring  and  summer  he  re- 
mained in  that  state,  often  suffering  great 
pain  but  never  complaining  or  even  asking 
for  anyone  to  stay  with  him.     In  July,  as  we 
were  afraid  he  would  not  live  long,  we  sent 


On  the  Yukon  99 

him  here  so  that  his  parents  might  see  him. 
He  came  up  on  the  steamer  and  hved  with 
the  Fathers.  Here,  as  at  school,  he  gained 
all  hearts,  and  surprised  and  edified  the 
Fathers  by  his  piety  and  wonderful  patience. 
Every  day  he  would  read  the  life  of  the 
Saint  of  the  day,  in  a  pictorial  ''  Lives  of 
the  Saints  "  that  we  have,  and  he  was  not  in 
the  least  afraid  of  death.  He  died  early  in 
the  morning,  after  a  violent  hemorrhage,  and 
his  last  words  were,  ''  Jesus,  Mary,  Joseph," 
which  he  said  of  his  own  accord.  What 
wonders  the  grace  of  God  is  able  to  work 
when  we  do  not  put  obstacles  in  the  way  or 
refuse  to  follow  its  inspirations! 

When  I  left  Holy  Cross,  there  were  one 
hundred  children  in  the  school.  Three  more 
Sisters  came  this  year;  but  one  of  those  who 
came  four  years  ago,  had  to  go  back  on  ac- 
count of  her  health.  So  there  are  eight  Sis- 
ters now,  all  at  Holy  Cross.  They  expected 
to  open  a  second  school  this  fall,  but  we 
could  not  get  the  house  ready.  It  will  be  on 
the  coast  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yukon,  about 
four  hundred  miles  from  the  present  school. 
In  that  part  of  the  country  there  is  not  a 
tree  for  two  hundred  miles,  and  not  even  a 
bush  for  some  distance,  nothing  but  thick 
moss.  The  place  we  have  selected  for  the 
school  is  a  high  bank  on  one  of  the  streams 
that  form  the  delta  of  the  Yukon.     It  is  the 


100  An  American  Missionary 

only  high  ground  in  the  neighborhood;  so, 
from  it,  one  can  see  on  all  sides  as  far  as  the 
eye  can  reach,  and  not  a  tree  to  break  the 
view,  nothing  but  water,  moss-covered  fields, 
and  banks.  But  it  is  a  cheerful  place  and 
very  good  for  that  part  of  the  country. 

Do  not  think  that  I  have  no  need  of  your 
prayers,  for  there  are  many  dangers  on  a 
Mission  like  this.  I  am  very  happy  and  have 
not  the  least  doubt  that  I  am  where  God 
wishes  me  to  be;  but,  when  there  is  so  much 
to  do,  there  is  danger  of  neglecting  oneself. 
So  we  must  always  pray  for  each  other.  .  .  . 
Every  day,  at  Mass,  I  ask  our  Lord  to  keep 
you  ever  pure  in  his  sight,  and  to  bring  you 
to  a  holy  and  happy  death,  which  is  the 
greatest  blessing  I  can  ask  for  you,  as  we 
say  in  the  prayer  to  St.  Francis  Xavier  — 
"  that  we  may  diligently  seek  and  perfectly 
find  that  one  thing  necessary,  which  is  to  die 
and  rest  in  peace.''  May  God  grant  us  this 
grace. 

Your  loving  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

Nulato,  Alaska,  Nov.  26,  1892. 

Dear  Brother: 

It  is  just  12  P.  M.  as  I  begin  this,  but  there 
is  a  chance  to  give  you  a  pleasant  surprise 
and  I  cannot  resist. 


On  the  Yukon  101 

Representatives  of  the  Northwestern 
Trading  and  Transportation  Company  came 
here  last  summer  and  buih  a  large  river 
steamer  to  run  on  the  Yukon.  It  is  a  fine 
boat  built  on  the  plan  of  the  Mississippi 
boats.  The  object  of  the  Company  is  to 
open  up  the  country,  trade  in  furs,  supply 
the  miners,  mine,  or  go  into  anything  that 
they  see  money  in. 

Their  steamer  is  called  the  P.  B.  Weare, 
after  the  head  of  the  company,  the  great 
corn-king  of  Chicago.  He  was  up  here  but 
has  returned.  They  intended  to  go  up  about 
a  thousand  miles  above  Nulato,  where  the 
greatest  number  of  the  miners  are;  but,  they 
were  too  late  in  finishing  the  steamer,  and 
when  they  got  here  about  the  6th  of  October, 
the  ice  was  too  thick  to  allow  them  to  go 
farther.  So  they  went  about  six  miles  be- 
low us,  and  put  up  for  the  winter. 

They  have  about  three  hundred  tons  of 
freight,  a  splendid  cargo  of  assorted  mer- 
chandise. The  Agent  and  his  wife,  the 
First  Mate,  and  an  Irish  servant-girl,  are 
Catholics;  and  the  Captain  and  the  hands 
are  all  nice  people;  so,  we  have  some  pleasant 
white  neighbors  for  the  winter.  The  dis- 
tance IS  nothing,  as  it  takes  only  about  three 
quarters  of  an  hour  to  make  it  with  the  dogs. 

Soon  after  I  wrote  last,  I  was  called  back 
to  Holv  Cross,  and  had  to  leave  the  house  I 


102  An  American  Missionary 

was  building  on  the  Shagaluk,  only  seven 
feet  high.  I  remained  at  the  Mission,  while 
Father  Superior  and  three  other  Fathers 
went  to  plant  a  large  cross  on  the  spot  where 
Archbishop  Seghers  was  killed.  The}^  made 
the  ceremony  as  solemn  as  possible,  all  the 
Fathers  saying  Mass  there. 

On  the  first  of  October,  I  started  to  come 
to  Nulato  on  our  steamer,  but  winter  had 
already  begun  —  about  two  weeks  earlier 
than  usual  —  and  the  ice  was  forming  on 
the  river.  However,  we  got  on  all  right 
until  within  thirty  miles  of  this  place, 
when  we  ran  on  a  bar  and  could  not 
get  off.  So  we  had  to  leave  the  steamer 
and  walk  home.  We  did  not  know  how 
far  we  were  from  Nulato,  but  an  Indian 
told  us  we  could  reach  it  in  a  da}^  AVe 
camped  one  night  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  where  we  had  piled  all  the  goods  from 
the  steamer;  and,  in  the  morning  after  Mass 
and  breakfast,  each  one  took  what  he  could 
carry  and  vvx  started  to  tramp  it.  The  walk- 
ing was  bad,  the  river  bank  being  often  stony 
and  rough,  and  our  bundles  began  after  some 
time  to  be  heavy;  but  we  kept  on,  and  to  our 
joy,  about  one  o'clock,  we  met  the  Father 
from  Nulato  with  a  party  of  men  coming 
from  the  nevs^  steamer  to  our  rescue. 

They  had  heard  of  our  trouble,  and  started 
as  soon  as  possible  to  help  us.     We  all  took 


On  the  Yukon  103 

something-  to  cat  and  after  a  httle  rest  set 
out  again  reheved  of  our  baggage,  which 
was  taken  by  the  Indians  whom  the  Father 
had  brought  with  him.  On  account  of  the 
bad  footing  we  could  not  make  good  time, 
and  it  was  not  until  about  eight  o'clock  in 
the  evening  that  we  reached  the  steamer. 
We  were  all  very  tired  but  we  met  a  hearty 
welcome,  got  a  good  supper,  and,  what  we 
wanted  most,  a  good  night's  rest.  The 
Transportation  Company's  people  have 
boarded  up  their  steamer  all  around,  and 
they  are  living  in  it  very  comfortably.  The 
next  day,  after  breakfast,  we  finished  our 
tramp  and  got  home. 

We  are  only  two  Fathers  and  two 
Brothers  here;  so,  it  is  much  more  quiet  than 
at  Holy  Cross.  I  must  stop;  it  is  too  late, 
and  I  am  tired.  Kind  regards  to  all.  May 
God  bless  you  always. 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

In  May,  1893,  he  w^rites  of  his  work  at 
Nulato :  "  My  life  has  been  a  quiet  one,  most 
of  my  time  being  taken  up  with  teaching 
the  children  their  prayers  and  catechism  in 
their  own  language,  and  a  little  English,  and 
in  trying  to  learn  their  language  myself. 
The  first  task  I  like  very  much,  for  I  am 
fond  of  children  and  have  no  trouble  to  make 
friends  with  them;  but  the  second  is  very 


104  An  American  Missionary 

much  like  hard  work,  and  my  genius  does 
not  run  that  way.  So  you  must  pray  for 
me,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  may  supply  what 
nature  has  refused,  if  it  be  for  the  glory  of 
God. 

We  have  had  a  cold  winter  this  year,  the 
average  temperature  having  been  a  good 
deal  lower  than  that  of  the  two  preceding 
years;  but,  thank  God!  I  have  had  good 
health,  have  not  even  had  a  cold. 

The  ice  on  the  Yukon  broke  on  the  19th 
of  this  month,  and  from  that  event  we  date 
the  beginning  of  the  summer  season.  Up 
to  about  the  middle  of  April  the  cold  holds 
its  own;  and  one  would  think,  to  look  at  the 
immense  ice  more  than  thirty  inches  thick 
on  the  river,  and  the  vv^hole  country  buried 
in  snow,  that  it  would  take  all  summer  to 
melt  it ;  but,  as  soon  as  the  severe  cold  ceases, 
the  sun  is  so  strong  that  the  snow  melts,  and 
the  river  swells  so  that  it  lifts  the  ice  up 
fifteen  feet  or  more,  forcing  it  to  let  go  its 
hold  on  the  banks;  and,  of  course,  as  soon  as 
it  is  not  held,  the  current  carries  it  off  and 
out  to  sea.'' 

In  July  he  wrote  to  another  person:  "I 
was  much  pleased  to  hear  that  you  had  seen 
Father  Tosi.  He  has  been  through  more 
than  anyone  else  up  here;  and,  as  you  see, 
he  is  not  dead  yet.     As  I  told  someone,  this 


On  the  Yukon  105 

is  a  bad  place  to  come  to  if  one  wants  to  get 
to  heaven  quick;  hot  countries  are  much  bet- 
ter for  that  than  cold  ones. 

I  am  sorry  you  had  to  send  the  box  by  ex- 
press, on  account  of  the  expense;  slow- 
freight,  I  suppose,  would  be  much  cheaper. 
You  have  only  hinted  at  what  you  have  sent, 
and  therefore  I  don't  know  what  I  may  find; 
but,  if  you  should  ever  be  inspired  to  send 
another  box,  I  would  be  happy  to  find  in  one 
corner  a  few  pounds  of  common  candy  for 
the  little  ones  at  Christmas.  You  see,  I 
have  not  changed  in  my  love  for  the  little 
ones." 

The  summer  of  1894  found  Father  Judge 
still  at  Nulato.  He  recounts  the  incidents 
of  the  year  in  a  long  letter  to  one  of  his 
brothers : — 

St.  Peter  Claver's  Mission, 

Nulato,  Alaska,  June  30,  1894. 

Dear  Brother:  P.  C. 

I  think  my  last  letter  to  you  was  written 
in  July,  1893,  while  I  was  on  a  visit  to  Holy 
Cross  Mission.  In  the  latter  part  of  Au- 
gust I  returned  to  Nulato.  A  few  days  after 
my  arrival,  Father  Ragaru  left,  having  been 
called  by  Father  Superior,  leaving  me  alone 
with  one  Brother,  to  attend  to  these  two  vil- 


106  An  American  Missionary 

lages,  one  of  which  is  within  five  minutes 
walk  of  the  house,  and  the  other  about  two 
miles  down  the  river. 

Here  we  have  a  small  church  and  have  be- 
gun to  build  a  better  one;  but  at  the  lower 
village  we  had  none  until  last  November, 
when  an  Indian,  who  had  there  a  good  log- 
house,  sold  it  to  me  very  cheap,  because  one 
of  his  children  died  there  about  two  years 
ago,  and  the  Medicine  Man,  or  Shaman,  as 
they  call  him,  told  our  Indian  that  his  other 
children  w^ould  die  if  he  remained  in  that 
house.  With  a  little  work,  I  fixed  it  up, 
made  a  temporary  altar,  and  began  on  the 
first  of  December  to  use  it  for  a  church. 

My  plan  is  to  say  Mass  three  times  a  week 
there,  and  three  times  here,  and  in  each  place 
on  other  days  to  sa}^  the  beads  and  teach 
catechism  in  the  afternoon;  so  that  every 
day  each  village  has  either  Mass  or  the 
beads  and  catechism.  On  Sundays  all 
come  here,  and  we  have  High  Mass,  instruc- 
tion, and  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament. 

The  first  Friday  of  the  month,  for  which 
we  prepare  by  a  Novena,  we  celebrate  here 
by  a  general  Communion  of  all  who  have 
made  their  First  Communion,  in  all  about 
twenty-five,  half  of  whom  are  grown  chil- 
dren who  have  been  to  school  at  Hoh^  Cross. 

We  are  slow  to  admit  the  Indian  to  Holy 


On  the  Yukon  107 

Communion,  but  this  year  I  have  secured 
the  baptism  of  all  the  children  in  both  vil- 
lages, and  of  nearly  all  the  young  people; 
and,  with  few  exceptions,  these  come  to  con- 
fession at  least  once  a  month. 

The  Medicine  Man  could  not  have  con- 
ferred a  greater  favor  upon  me  than  he  did 
by  causing  that  man  to  leave  his  house. 
Thus  we  see  how  God  makes  use  even  of  the 
wicked,  to  accomplish  His  designs,  and  turns 
all  to  the  good  of  His  elect. 

On  the  8th  of  December,  the  feast  of  the 
Immaculate  Conception,  immediately  after 
Mass,  I  had  to  start  on  a  sick-call  to  a  village 
about  thirty  miles  down  the  river.  We  left 
here,  an  Indian  and  myself,  with  a  sleigh  and 
seven  good  dogs  about  nine  o'clock,  stopped 
at  noon  at  an  Indian  house  for  our  dinner  of 
tea,  dried  fish,  and  bread,  and  then  continued 
our  journey,  arriving  at  our  destination 
about  four  o'clock.  It  was  a  cold  day,  forty 
degrees  below  zero,  but  the  wind  was  at  our 
back  and  we  did  not  suffer.  I  found  an  old 
man,  the  father  of  one  of  the  children  at  our 
school,  very  sick  with  somethin.^^:  like  pneu- 
monia. I  gave  him  some  medicine,  in- 
structed him,  heard  his  confession,  and 
anointed  him.  He  was  w^ell  disposed  and 
died  in  a  few  days  after  I  left. 

On  the  15th  of  December  Father  Ragarit 
returned    from    Holy    Cross    Mission.      He 


108  An  American  Missionary 

spent  a  month  on  the  road,  having  visited 
all  the  villages  on  the  way,  stopping  a  few- 
days  in  each.  By  the  route  he  came,  the 
whole  distance  was  about  three  hundred 
miles. 

Christmas  day  was  a  happy  one  for  us 
this  year.  I  said  two  Masses  at  the  lower 
village,  where  I  had  nine  communions,  and 
Father  Ragaru  had  eighteen  communions 
here.  At  nine  o'clock  I  sang  High  Mass 
here,  after  which  I  had  the  Christmas  tree 
for  the  children,  and  some  fun  also  for  the 
grown  people.  Our  tree  looked  well,  al- 
though I  had  no  candy.  I  made  some  small 
cakes,  and  with  them  and  a  large  tin  of  sweet 
crackers,  which  some  good  soul  sent  us  last 
summer,  I  filled  a  number  of  small  bags, 
some  of  cloth,  some  of  colored  paper,  which, 
together  with  the  toys  you  sent,  set  the  tree 
off  in  good  style  and  made  the  little  ones 
jump  with  joy  when  they  saw  it.  The  tin 
dogs,  fishes,  etc.,  which  moved  by  them- 
selves, amused  not  only  the  children,  but  also 
the  older  folks.  We  raffled  the  toys,  as 
there  were  not  enough  for  all,  and  gave  each 
child  a  bag  of  cakes.  To  the  grown  people 
we  gave  a  piece  of  sweet  bread  and  a  cup  of 
coffee,  and  all  went  away  pleased. 

On  the  8th  of  January  Father  Ragaru  left 
to  make  a  missionary  trip  up  the  river;  and, 
a  few  days  after,  he  sent  me  word  that  there 


On  the  Yukon  109 

were  two  white  men  in  ji^^reat  destitution  and 
with  their  feet  badly  frozen,  at  the  house  of 
an  Indian  thirty  miles  above  Nulato.  At 
once,  I  sent  a  Brother  with  two  sleighs, 
warm  clothes,  and  a  good  provision  of  bread, 
te?  md  fish,  to  bring  them  down.  He  found 
th(  ..  with  their  feet  so  badly  frozen  that 
they  could  not  use  them  at  all,  with  very 
little  clothing  and  barely  enough  food  to 
keep  soul  and  body  together.  The  Brother 
made  the  trip  in  three  days,  and  although  it 
was  fifty  degrees  below  zero  when  they  ar- 
rived here,  they  were  so  well  wrapped  up 
that  they  did  not  feel  the  cold.  As  soon  as 
they  came,  we  gave  them  a  good  supper  of 
stewed  rabbits,  slap-jacks,  and  tea,  and  they 
enjoyed  it  as  much  as  you  would  a  first-class 
feast.  Until  Father  Ragaru  met  them,  they 
had  not  tasted  bread  for  seven  months;  at 
one  time  they  had  been  two  weeks  without 
anything  but  a  kind  of  wild  rhubarb,  which 
we  have  here,  and  again  they  had  lived  eight 
days  on  one  small  salmon. 

They  are  young  men  about  twenty-one 
years  of  age;  one  a  Scotchman,  a  sailor  by 
profession,  and  the  other  the  son  of  German 
parents,  from  Minnesota,  and  a  Catholic. 
The  Scotchman  is  a  Presbyterian,  or  at  least 
his  parents  are,  but  he  left  home  too  young 
to  know  much  about  religion. 

When  I  examined  their  feet,  I  found  them 


110  An  American  Missionary 

in  a  terrible  condition;  one  had  the  heel  and 
toes  of  both  feet  badly  frozen,  and  by  that 
time  they  were  black.  The  other  escaped 
better,  only  his  two  heels  and  the  sole  of  one 
foot  being  hurt.  For  about  two  months 
they  were  not  able  to  use  their  feet,  and  it 
was  nearly  four  months  before  they  could 
wear  shoes.  They  left  on  the  first  steamer 
to  go  to  the  mining  country  to  seek  their 
fortune,  just  five  months  from  the  time  they 
came. 

These  men  were  very  clever.  When  they 
were  able  to  move  about  the  room,  I  put  up 
a  carpenter's  bench,  and  although  they  were 
not  professionals,  they  made  many  useful 
things  for  me. 

We  had  to  suffer  a  little  for  our  charity, 
as  last  summer  we  received  provisions  for 
only  two  or  three,  and  we  had  to  make  them 
do  for  five  or  six,  so  that  everything  was 
short.  What  we  felt  most  was  that  we 
could  afTord  to  take  only  a  limited  amount 
of  bread.  We  cooked  twenty-five  pounds  of 
flour  every  week,  making  twenty-one  loaves, 
one  for  each  meal,  which  we  cut  into  five 
pieces,  one  for  each.  Our  principal  food  was 
rabbits  —  which,  thank  God,  were  very  plen- 
tiful this  year  —  sometimes  stewed,  some- 
times fried  or  baked,  for  variety;  for,  as  the 
two  sailors  used  to  remark,  we  were  afraid 
we  would  turn  into  rabbits. 


On  the  Yukon  111 

After  Pentecost,  when  the  snow  became 
too  soft  to  hunt  the  rab])its,  we  often  wished 
we  had  more  of  them ;  but  we  had  some  sal- 
mon that  we  saUed  last  3^ear,  which  took 
their  place,  until  the  river  broke,  May  the 
27th.  Although  we  could  not  get  fish  in  the 
main  river  then,  because  the  water  was  too 
high,  we  got  some  in  a  side  stream  and  a  lake 
near  by;  but  they  did  not  continue  to  run, 
and  when  the  steamer  came  in  sight,  on  the 
14th  of  June,  our  last  meal  was  on  the  table. 
We  had  two  fish-nets  out,  and  the  men  and 
the  Brother  had  been  out  all  the  morning 
fishing  with  hooks,  but  had  caught  nothing. 

Rev.  Father  Superior,  who  had  heard  of 
our  need,  came  up  on  the  steamer  bringing 
as  all  we  wanted.  Thus  God  in  His  good- 
ness, that  we  might  recognize  His  provi- 
dence more  clearly,  waited  until  the  last 
moment  to  come  to  our  assistance. 

For  ni}^  own  part,  I  was  not  anxious,  be- 
cause I  felt  certain  that,  as  we  had  deprived 
ourselves  for  His  sake.  He  would  not  fail  to 
help  us  in  the  hour  of  need. 

This  spring,  I  was  also  struck  by  a  touch- 
ing instance  of  His  goodness  in  sweetening 
even  the  little  crosses  He  sometimes  sends 
us  for  our  good. 

On  Sunday,  March  nth,  I  had  a  sick-call 
twelve  miles  up  the  river.  The  next  day,  the 
I2th,   the   feast   of  the  canonization   of  St. 


112  An  American  Missionary 

Ignatius  and  St.  Francis  Xavier,  I  said  Mass 
there,  but  with  difficulty,  because  the  canon- 
ical finger  of  my  right  hand  was  very  sore. 
After  Mass,  I  gave  the  Viaticum  and  Ex- 
treme Unction  to  a  sick  woman  and  then 
returned  home,  when  I  recognized  that  I  had 
a  bone-felon  and  therefore  would  not  be  able 
to  say  Mass  for  some  time;  but  that  same 
day,  Father  Ragaru,  who  had  been  away  for 
a  month,  returned.  It  was  nineteen  days 
before  I  could  again  say  Mass;  but,  although 
the  Father  intended  to  leave  before  that,  the 
weather  compelled  him  to  remain,  so  that  we 
had  Mass  every  day  and  I  did  not  miss  Holy 
Communion  once  on  account  of  the  felon. 

The  past  winter  was  the  longest  and  most 
severe  they  have  had  here  for  many  years. 
The  snow-fall  was  by  far  the  greatest  I  have 
seen,  and  the  spells  of  severe  cold  more  fre- 
quent and  longer  than  usual.  Generally  we 
can  travel  only  at  night  in  April,  because  the 
trail  is  too  soft  during  the  day,  but  this  3^ear 
it  was  so  cold  that  the  sun  was  not  able  to 
effect  anything.  It  was  only  at  Pentecost, 
May  13th,  that  the  sun  got  the  better  of  Jack 
Frost,  and  began  his  work  of  destruction, 
when,  as  though  conscious  he  had  a  mighty 
work  to  do,  he  went  at  it  in  good  earnest, 
and  in  two  weeks  this  immense  river  had 
risen  about  twenty  feet.  On  Sunday,  May 
27th,  the  ice  began  to  go  out.     The  next  day 


On  the  Yukon  113 

at  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  while 
the  whole  river  was  one  mass  of  broken  ice 
forcing  its  way  out,  the  large  cross,  which 
had  been  erected  two  years  ago  on  the  spot 
where  Archbishop  Seghers  was  killed,  passed 
down  the  middle  of  the  river,  borne  along 
by  the  ice  but  standing  perfectly  erect  and 
facing  the  bank.  It  was  a  fine  sight  to  see 
it  moving  along  in  the  bright  sunlight,  amid 
the  roaring  of  that  immense  body  of  ice  and 
water.  We  tolled  the  bell  while  it  was  pass- 
ing. The  place  where  the  Archbishop  was 
killed  is  about  forty  miles  above  this.  How 
far  the  cross  went  down  the  river  we  do  not 
know.  It  looked  as  though  it  were  sent 
ahead  to  give  us  warning  of  what  was  to 
come,  for  as  soon  as  it  passed,  the  river  be- 
gan to  rise  rapidly.  We  had  to  remain  up 
all  night  to  watch  it,  and  at  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning  we  took  every  thing  from  the 
church,  which  is  nearer  to  the  bank  than  our 
house.  All  that  day  the  water  continued  to 
increase,  forcing  all  the  people  in  the  village 
to  take  refuge  on  the  mountain,  and  com- 
pletely surrounded  our  house,  so  that  we 
could  not  leave  it,  except  in  the  boat.  By 
noon  on  Thursday,  our  cellars  were  full  up 
to  the  floors ;  so,  not  knowing  what  was  com- 
ing, we  boarded  up  the  lower  windows  to 
prevent  their  being  broken  by  the  ice,  and 
moved  everything  up  stairs;  but  at  2  P.  M., 


114  An  American  Missionary 

the  water  began  to  fall  rapidly,  as  if  a  gorge 
had  broken  somewhere,  and  in  about  an  hour 
it  fell  two  feet,  after  which  it  subsided  very 
slowly,  and  even  now  it  is  higher  than  it  was 
at  any  time  last  year. 

When  the  water  was  at  its  height,  we 
could  see  no  land  except  the  mountains,  a 
thing  which  had  never  happened  before  in 
the  memory  of  anyone.  Immense  cakes  of 
ice  three  or  four  feet  thick  remained  around 
the  house  and  in  the  village  after  the  vv^ater 
subsided  but  did  no  damage  to  anything, 
owing  to  a  high  mountain  just  here,  which 
threw  the  current  of  the  river  to  the  other 
side  and  broke  the  force  of  the  floating  ice. 

The  other  village,  which  I  have  charge  of, 
two  miles  below  here,  did  not  fare  so  well, 
as  the  water  covered  it  completely,  and  the 
ice  carried  my  church  and  all  of  the  houses 
far  back,  leaving  them  a  heap  of  ruins  on  the 
hillside.  Some  of  the  people  from  the  vil- 
lage, who  had  gone  to  the  other  side  of  the 
river  before  the  ice  broke,  thinking  they 
would  be  perfectly  safe  there  on  the  high 
bank,  had  a  narrow  escape.  When  they  saw 
the  water  coming  on  them  and  had  no  higher 
ground  to  retreat  to,  they  built  themselves  a 
house,  elevated  on  poles  as  high  as  they 
could,  and  there  they  sought  a  last  refuge. 
Fortunately  it  was  just  high  enough,  but 
with  nothing  to  spare,  for  their  feet  were 


On  the  Yukon  115 

already  in  the  water  when  it  began  to  fall. 
All  the  villages  for  at  least  a  hundred  miles 
below  here  were  washed  away. 

Last  summer  was  so  wet  that  it  was  al- 
most impossible  to  dry  fish,  and  now  all 
along  the  river  the  Indians  are  in  want  of 
food,  becatise  the  salmon,  which  is  generally 
the  first  to  come,  has  not  begun  to  run  yet. 
Everything  this  summer  is  two  or  three 
weeks  later  than  other  years.  The  Fathers 
on  the  coast  were  compelled  to  give,  until 
they  were  in  want  themselves,  because  the 
Indians  were  actually  starving,  but  I  hope 
they  have  the  salmon  there  by  this  time,  and 
that  we  shall  soon  have  it  here  also. 

Last  Januar}^  the  most  noted  Medicine 
Man  here  w^as  taken  sick,  and  thought  he 
was  d3nng.  He  sent  for  me,  saying  he 
wanted  to  save  his  soul.  As  he  had  two 
wives  and  knew  very  well  that  was  wrong, 
he  sent  one  aw^ay,  and  declared  before  all  the 
people  that  he  would  not  take  her  back  again, 
that  he  did  not  believe  in  the  Medicine  Men, 
and  would  not  play  any  more,  nor  "  make 
medicine,"  as  they  sa3\  if  he  got  well;  and, 
as  he  seemed,  to  be  truly  in  earnest,  I  heard 
his  confession  and  anointed  him.  It  would 
have  been  well  for  him  if  he  had  died  then, 
but  God  gave  him  a  chance  to  prove  his  sin- 
cerity, and  allowed  him  to  recover.  But, 
with  returning  health,  he  relapsed  into  his 


116  An  American  Missionary 

former  ways.  On  the  night  of  April  3rd,  he 
played  as  Medicine  Man,  and  next  morning 
died  suddenly,  God  calling  him  without  a 
moment's  warning.  Many  looked  on  his 
sudden  death  as  a  punishment  from  God  for 
not  keeping  his  promises.  I  had  many  con- 
fessions the  following  days. 

Ten  large  girls  or,  as  you  would  call  them, 
young  ladies,  returned  from  the  school  at 
Holy  Cross  Mission,  when  the  steamer  came 
up.  They  are  truly  a  great  credit  to  the 
Sisters,  so  great  is  the  change  a  few  years 
at  the  school  have  made  in  them.  They 
speak  English  without  hesitation,  have  made 
their  First  Communion  and  been  Confirmed, 
and  are  so  zealous  and  devout.  As  soon  as 
they  came,  I  noticed  how  much  more  cour- 
ageous and  open  they  were  in  the  practice  of 
their  faith  than  those  who  came  back  last 
year,  and  before;  but  the  cause  of  the  differ- 
ence did  not  occur  to  me  until  now,  namely, 
that  they  have  been  the  first  to  receive  Con- 
firmation; for  it  was  only  when  Father  Tosi 
was  in  Rome  last  winter  that  the  Holy 
Father  gave  him  power  to  confer  that  Sac- 
rament. Never  before  have  I  seen  its  effects 
more  evident,  and  I  sincerely  thank  the  Holy 
Spirit  for  thus  manifesting  His  power  in 
these  first  fruits  of  the  Sacrament,  for  their 
own  sanctification,  and  the  great  edification 
of  all  who  see  them. 


On  the  Yukon  117 

I  feel  greatly  encouraged  by  the  hope  that 
when  all  our  neophytes  have  received  that 
holy  Sacrament,  which  I  hope  will  be  some 
time  during  the  coming  winter,  they  too  will 
become  courageous  to  do  and  suffer  for  con- 
science' sake.  In  that  case,  this  Mission 
will  be  firmly  established,  and  with  God's 
blessing  we  may  hope  to  reap  more  abundant 
fruit  from  our  labors  in  the  future,  for  good 
example  is  a  most  powerful  means  to  draw 
souls  to  God. 

On  Wednesday,  the  27th  of  this  month,  we 
had,  for  the  first  time,  the  full  marriage  cere- 
mony. Two  of  the  girls  from  the  school 
were  married  to  two  young  men,  brothers, 
one  of  whom  has  been  living  with  us  here  for 
several  Years  as  interpreter.  The  day  was 
the  finest  we  have  had  this  summer,  warm 
and  bright,  and  our  little  church  never  before 
looked  so  well,  as  only  lately  we  put  up  a 
new  altar,  which  was  adorned  with  all  the 
lights  and  flowers  we  have.  Although  not 
grand,  it  was  neat  and  devotional.  I  think 
you  would  have  been  a  little  surprised,  had 
you  seen  the  two  brides  in  their  new  calico 
dresses  made  for  the  occasion  with  all  the 
skill  they  acquired  during  the  four  or  five 
years  with  the  Sisters,  and  their  long  white 
veils  and  wreaths  of  flowers.  We  had  the 
Nuptial  Mass,  with  all  of  its  blessings,  at 
which  the  four  contracting  parties  received 


118  An  American  Missionary 

Holy  Communion;  all  of  which  was  well  cal- 
culated to  impress  the  Indians  with  the  dig- 
nity of  this  Sacrament  and  make  them 
understand  how  holy  and  inviolable  is  the 
union  between  those  who  receive  it. 

Both  couples  live  near  the  church,  and  as 
they  manifest  such  good  dispositions  and  are 
so  well  instructed,  we  have  reason  to  hope 
they  will  prove  an  important  addition  to  the 
Mission. 

All  our  Missions  are  steadily  gaining 
ground,  but  the  field  is  so  large  and  the  la- 
borers so  few,  and,  what  is  more,  we  are  very 
much  cramped  for  means.  Even  with  the 
greatest  economy,  on  account  of  the  distance 
from  civilization,  our  expenses  are  great, 
while  the  means  at  our  disposal  are  very 
limited. 

A  school  here  would  do  much  good,  but 
we  cannot  afford  it;  and  we  ought  to  have 
stations  at  several  points  north  of  this,  where 
many  souls  are  being  lost  for  want  of  atten- 
tion, but  with  our  present  means  we  cannot 
help  them. 

I  am  sure  there  are  many  good  people  in 
the  States,  who  w^ould  be  happy  to  help  us, 
if  they  knew  our  needs;  so,  whenever  you 
have  an  opportunity,  you  will  do  a  good 
work  by  making  those  needs  known,  so  that 
all  who  wish  may  aid  us  in  gaining  to  God 
this   remote   corner  of  the  Union;  for,   al- 


On  the  Yukon  119 

though  so  far  away  from  you,  we  are  still  on 
United  States  soil,  of  which  we  are  con- 
stantly reminded  by  the  flag,  and  by  hearing 
the  school  children  singing  our  national  airs. 

In  a  Mission  like  this,  everything  is  useful. 
All  kinds  of  groceries  and  provisions,  and  es- 
])ecially  flour,  rice,  beans,  and  corn  meal; 
dry-goods  of  every  description,  as  blankets, 
quilts,  calico,  muslin,  &c. ;  hardware,  stoves 
and  kitchen  furniture;  church  goods,  candles, 
oil  for  sanctuary  lamps,  candlesticks,  vases, 
flowers,  altar  linen,  &c. ;  boots  and  shoes  for 
large  and  small;  in  a  word,  everything  for 
church,  school,  or  house  use,  or  for  food, 
clothing,  bedding,  &c.,  provided  it  is  good, 
for  thefreight  is  too  much  to  pay  for  worn- 
out  or  useless  things,  as  old  books  and  papers 
and  the  like.  We  are  poor  and  therefore  will 
not  disdain  the  smallest  offering,  and  as  our 
field  of  labor  is  so  vast,  the  largest  may  be 
turned  to  the  glory  of  God  and  the  salvation 
of  souls. 

As  our  work  is  not  a  thing  of  the  present 
only,  but  to  continue  year  after  year,^  it 
would  be  desirable  that  those  who  may  wish 
to  help  us  by  their  charity,  renew  their  oflFer- 
ings  each  year,  as  far  as  their  means  will 
allow.  All  offerings  should  be  directed  to 
one   of  the   Fathers   of  the   Mission,   thus: 

Rev. ,    St.    Michael,    Alaska,    care   of 

Alaska     Commercial     Company,     Sansone 


120  An  American  Missionary 

Street,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  and  should  be 
sent  in  time  to  reach  there  before  the  first  of 
May,  and  the  freight  should  be  paid  at  least 
that  far. 

I  nearly  forgot  to  tell  you  about  a  little 
experience  I  had  on  the  29th  of  January  last, 
feast  of  St.  Francis  de  Sales.  I  had  been  at 
the  lower  village  to  say  the  beads  and  teach 
catechism,  and  about  half  past  five  started 
to  return.  It  was  very  dark  and  stormy,  so 
that  I  could  not  see  five  feet  ahead,  but  I 
thought  I  could  keep  the  trail  by  feeling  with 
my  feet.  For  the  first  half-mile  I  went  all 
right,  passing  a  big  snag  that  lay  near  the 
trail,  and  going  some  distance  beyond  it;  but 
then  I  lost  the  trail,  and  only  after  feehng 
around  for  some  time  found  it  and  started 
again.  Presently  I  saw  something  black 
ahead  of  me,  and  could  not  imagine  what  it 
could  be;  so,  with  some  misgivings,  I  kept 
on  until  I  reached  it,  and  what  was  my  sur- 
prise when  I  found  it  was  the  snag  I  thought 
I  had  left  a  mile  behind  me.  In  finding  the 
trail  after  I  had  lost  it,  I  had  turned  around, 
and  instead  of  going  towards  home  was  re- 
tracing my  steps.  After  taking  care  to  turn 
right  about  face,  and  remembering  that  the 
storm  was  blowing  down  the  river,  and 
therefore  I  should  face  it  all  the  time,  I 
started  again,  and  made  perhaps  half  a  mile 
more,  when  I  lost  the  trail  again,  and  this 


•^  \ 


^ 


On  the  Yukon  121 

time  for  good.  It  was  so  dark  that  when  I 
tried  to  retrace  my  steps  I  could  not  see  the 
last  footprint  I  had  made.  Once  I  was  off 
the  trail,  the  snow  was  above  my  waist,  and 
every  step  was  a  labor.  After  trying  some 
time,  I  gave  up  all  hope  of  regaining  the 
trail;  and,  keeping  my  face  to  the  wind,  tried 
to  make  what  headway  I  could  in  the  snow. 
After  some  time,  I  made  a  hole  in  the  snow 
to  rest,  but  I  felt  so  sleepy  I  was  afraid  to 
stop  long,  and  started  off  again,  resolved  to 
keep  up  as  long  as  I  could.  So  I  wandered 
on  for  several  hours,  and  was  on  the  point 
of  stopping,  intending  to  pass  the  night  in 
the  snow,  when  I  heard  some  one  call.  It 
was  a  welcome  sound  in  the  stillness  of  the 
night,  and  after  answering  the  call  for  some 
time  I  met  two  Indians,  whom  the  Brothers 
had  sent  out  to  look  for  me,  and  who  led  me 
to  the  house. 

The  night  was  not  very  cold,  about  ten 
degrees  below  zero,  so  perhaps  I  would  not 
have  suffered  seriously  from  sleeping  out, 
but  I  was  so  warm  from  the  exertion  of  walk- 
ing in  the  deep  snow  it  would  have  been  easy 
for  me  to  have  taken  cold.  I  was  three  hours 
and  a  half,  instead  of  a  half-hour,  coming  up; 
but,  besides  being  very  tired,  I  was  none  the 
worse  for  it.  If  I  had  taken  my  snow-shoes, 
losing  the  trail  would  not  have  been  so  seri- 
ous, but  I  knew  the  trail  was  good,  and  did 


122  An  American  Missionary 

not  expect  to  be  so  late  returning,  nor  did  I 
foresee  the  driving  snow-storm  that  so  com- 
pletely shut  out  all  view. 

One  of  our  Fathers  on  the  coast  had  a 
more  narrow  escape.  He  started  with  two 
Indians  and  three  sleighs,  each  one  of  them 
taking  a  sleigh,  to  go  from  one  station  to 
another,  expecting  to  be  two  or  three  days 
on  the  road,  but  the  very  day  they  started 
they  were  overtaken  by  one  of  those  driving 
snow-storms,  so  common  on  the  coast. 
When  it  came  upon  them,  they  were  follow- 
ing close  behind  one  another,  the  Father 
being  the  last;  but  soon  they  lost  sight  of 
one  another,  and  of  every  landmark  b}^  which 
they  could  guide  themselves,  and  what  made 
it  worse  for  the  Father  and  the  man  in  front, 
the  middle  sleigh  had  all  the  provisions. 

After  a  fruitless  search  for  the  others,  as 
night  came  on  the  Father  made  his  camp 
in  the  snow,  and  passed  the  night  supperless. 
The  next  morning,  it  had  cleared  off  enough 
to  let  him  see  the  mountains,  by  which  he 
knew  that  he  was  not  far  from  the  place  they 
had  left,  so  he  returned,  and  all  three  met. 
It  was  fortunate  the  storm  did  not  last 
longer,  especially  for  the  two  without  food. 

We  are  expecting  at  any  moment  the 
steamer  which  will  take  our  letters  to  the 
coast.  It  is  more  than  two  weeks  later  than 
last  year,  and  therefore  may  not  be  in  time 


On  the  Yukon  123 

to  catch  the  first  boat  leaving  for  San  Fran- 
cisco. I  shall  not  write  to  the  others  until 
I  receive  my  mail,  which  I  expect  about  the 
middle  of  July. 

I  am  well  and  have  enjoyed  g-ood  health 
all  the  year,  and  in  fact  ever  since  I  came  to 
the  Mission,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  all 
here;  so  I  do  not  think  any  one  need  be  afraid 
to  come  here  on  account  of  health. 

Some,  I  believe,  have  been  frightened  by 
things  written  from  here  in  regard  to  food, 
imagining  we  sometimes  have  to  live  on  de- 
cayed fish,  &c.,  but  as  far  as  I  have  heard, 
none  of  us  have  been  reduced  to  that,  ncr 
have  we  so  far  been  in  want  of  good,  healthy 
food,  though  occasionally,  as  in  my  own  case 
this  year,  we  have  been  very  near  it,  but  God 
has  always  come  to  our  assistance  in  the  nick 
of  time. 

We  have  beautiful  weather  now,  moder- 
ately warm,  clear,  and  bright,  with  full 
daylight  all  the  time,  so  that  we  almost  for- 
get during  these  three  months  what  night 
means,  and  what  a  star  looks  like,  for  we 
never  see  one.  In  the  fishing  camps  espec- 
ially, the  Indians  pay  no  attention  to  time, 
but  each  one  sleeps  and  eats  when  he  feels 
like  it,  so  that  the  camp  is  as  busy  at  mid- 
night as  it  is  at  midday.  I  know  the  sever- 
ity of  our  \vinters  has  frightened  some,  who 
have  not  been  wdiere  the  cold  is  severe,  but 


124  An  American  Missionary 

it  has  no  terrors  for  those  who  have  ex- 
perienced it,  and  there  seems  to  be  something- 
about  this  country  that  fascinates  all  who 
come  here,  for  I  have  never  yet  met  one,  even 
of  those  who  come  to  make  money,  who 
wished  to  leave  it  as  long  as  he  could  get 
something  to  do. 

Good-by  for  another  year,  unless  I  get 
time  to  send  you  a  few  words  by  the  last 
steamer. 

In  the  union  of  the  Sacred  Heart  I  remain, 
Your  affectionate  Brother, 

William  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  Missionary's  undiminished  fraternal 
affection  manifests  itself  in  a  letter  written 
at  this  time  to  his  younger  brother: 

Nulato,  Alaska,  July  24th,  1894. 
Dear  Brother: 

I  have  just  read  a  second  time  your  two 
letters,  which  I  received  on  the  19th  inst.  I 
cannot  tell  you  what  feelings  of  pleasure  and 
,eratitude  they  awaken  within  me.  Every 
line  tells  me  you  are  happy,  and  I  can  truly 
say  in  your  regard,  what  the  old  Romans 
were  wont  to  say  when  saluting  a  friend: 
"  If  you  are  happy,  I  am  happy.''  You  can- 
not be  too  grateful  to  God  for  all  He  has 
done  for  you;  and  there  is  no  better  means 


On  the  Yukon  125 

to  obtain  God's  blessings  in  the  future,  than 
to  be  thankful  for  those  already  received. 
But  remember  that  a  true  Christian  blesses 
God  no  less  when  He  sends  crosses  and 
trials,  than  when  He  gives  things  most 
pleasing  to  nature.  So,  you  must  be  always 
prepared  to  say,  with  holy  Job,  "  the  Lord 
gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  blessed 
be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

If  we  keep  well  in  mind  the  truth  that 
God  loves  us  as  His  own  children,  with  an 
infinite  and  most  tender  love,  and  watches 
over  us  with  so  great  care  that  not  a  hair 
falls  from  our  heads  without  His  knowledge 
and  permission,  it  will  not  be  hard  to  under- 
stand that  whatever  happens  to  us  in  this 
life,  is  for  our  greater  good,  if  we  receive  it 
as  we  should.  This  truth  is  the  philoso- 
pher's stone,  which  has  the  power  of  turning 
all  things  into  gold;  for,  as  soon  as  it  is  ap- 
plied to  the  sorrov/s  of  this  life,  it  renders 
them  sweet  and  delightful,  because  the  love 
of  the  Giver  more  than  compensates  for  the 
bitterness  of  the  gift;  or  rather,  it  changes 
the  bitterness  into  sweetness. 

Some  one  sent  me  the  papers  containing 
the  account  of  the  Cardinal's  Jubilee.  It 
was  the  first  I  had  heard  of  it.  Everything 
concerning  him  has  peculiar  interest  for  me; 
for,  he  was  my  confessor  when  he  was  only 
a  priest,  and  directed  and  encouraged  me 


126  An  American  Missionary 

during  the  long  years  I  was  uncertain  about 
my  future.  For,  although  from  my  earliest 
years  I  believed  God  called  me  to  the  Priest- 
hood, still,  for  many  years,  I  could  not  see 
how  I  was  to  attain  to  it. 

It  is  such  a  commonplace  thing  for  me  to 
be  well,  that  it  is  easy  for  me  to  forget  to 
mention  it  in  my  letters.  This  year  has  been 
no  exception  to  the  common  rule,  a  bone- 
felon  and  a  little  neuralgia  being  the  only 
splinters  of  the  cross,  in  that  line,  that  fell 
to  my  lot. 

So  far  this  promises  to  be  a  good  year  for 
fish.  I  hope  it  may  continue  so,  for  dry  fish 
is  here  like  flour  in  the  States;  if  we  have  a 
good  supply  of  that,  there  is  no  real  want  or 
suffering.     Good-by.     May  God  bless  you! 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  source  of  the  Missionary's  strength  is 
shown  in  a  letter  written  two  days  later,  in 
which  he  says:  "As  you  say,  we  have  the 
same  Sweet  Heart  to  rest  on  as  you  have; 
and,  if  He  is  with  us  what  does  it  matter 
what  else  is  wanting;  for  '  he  who  possesses 
God,  possesses  all  things.'  It  was  this 
thought  —  namely  that  being  a  priest,  no 
matter  where  I  might  go,  T  could  hope  al- 
ways to  have  our  Lord  in  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament —  that  gave  me  courage  to  leave  all 
that  was  dear  to  me  in  the  East,  both  in  the 


On  the  Yukon  127 

family  and  in  Religion;  nor  have  I  been  dis- 
appointed in  my  hopes.  Without  that 
blessed  Presence  the  mission  life  would  in- 
deed be  a  dreary  one  at  times,  or  rather  at 
all  times." 

A  few  weeks  later  an  event  occurred  which 
drew  Father  Judge  a  step  nearer  the  scene 
of  his  future  great  work.  It  is  well  however 
to  remember  that  the  world  was  yet  wholly 
ignorant  of  the  treasure  that  lay  concealed 
along  the  banks  of  the  tiny  tributary  of  the 
Yukon,  which  was  soon  to  become  so  world- 
famous. 

The  change  is  described  in  the  letters  that 
follow. 


CHAPTER   VI. 
FORTY  MILE  POST  AND  CIRCLE  CITY. 

"  Man  proposes  but  God  disposes." 

Steamer  Arctic, 
Yukon  River,  beyond  the  Arctic  Circle, 

Aug.  23,  1894. 
Dear : 

I  am  on  the  go  again;  and  this  time,  I 
have  more  reason  to  say  "good-by!'* 
than  heretofore,  because  I  am  leaving  the 
United  States.  When  the  A.  C.  Company's 
steamer  came  to  Nulato  a  week  ago,  it 
brought  me  orders  from  Father  Superior  to 
go  to  a  place  called  Forty  Mile,  which  is  an 
old  trading-post,  and  now  the  largest  min- 
ing-camp on  the  Yukon.  I  believe  there  are 
eight  or  nine  hundred  miners  there  this  year 
besides  the  Indians,  who  also  are  miners.  It 
is  in  British  Columbia,  about  ten  miles  be- 
yond our  boundary,  and  1,600  miles  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Yukon. 

I  shall  be  all  alone  there  this  year  and  a 
thousand  miles  from  any  of  our  Fathers,  too 
far  to  send  in  a  hurry  if  I  should  need  them. 

128 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  129 

Father  Superior  wished  to  start  a  Mission 
there  long  ago,  but  he  could  not  spare  the 
men.  This  year  the  CathoHcs  among  the 
miners  begged  so  hard  for  a  priest,  that  he 
could  hardly  refuse  them. 

Four  days  later,  but  still  on  the  steamer 
heading  southeast  from  the  Arctic  Circle,  he 
speaks  of  his  new  move  in  these  terms: — 

Steamer  Arctic, 

Yukon  River,  Alaska,  Aug.  27th,  1894. 

I  send  you  this  as  a  ''  good-by ''  for  the 
year,   and   to   let  you  know  where   I   shall 

spend  the  coming  winter This  time 

I  believe  I  am  coming  nearer  to  you,  al- 
though I  am  leaving  the  United  States.*  .  . 
I  have  been  taken  from  my  good  Indians  at 
Nulato,  where  I  was  so  happy,  and  sent  here. 
I  had  no  notice  of  the  change  until  the 
steamer,  which  was  to  take  me  away,  came; 
so  I  had  to  take  hurriedly  what  I  could,  and 
leave,  without  time  to  say  "  good-by."  But 
I  assure  you,  I  have  never  felt  happier  or 
more  like  a  Jesuit  than  I  do  now;  and  I  am 
sure  it  will  not  be  long  before  I  am  as  much 
attached  to  this  new  Mission  as  I  was  to  the 
other.  .  .  . 

*  A  glance  at  the  map  will  show  the  reader  that  the  Yukon 
flows  from  the  southeast  till  it  curves  across  the  Arctic  Circle ; 
when,  as  if  recoiling  from  the  polar  regions,  the  great  river 
flows   southwest  to  Bering   Sea. 


130  An  American  Missionary 

Of  course,  miners,  as  a  rule,  "  ain't  no 
saints";  but  I  am  not  afraid,  and  in  fact  I 
rather  like  to  deal  with  such  men.  They  are 
from  every  part  of  the  world;  to-day  I  met 
one,  a  Catholic,  from  Damascus.  ....  I 
trust  much  to  your  prayers. 

Sacred  Heart  Mission, 
Shagaluk  River,  Alaska,  May  25th,  1895. 
Dear  Brother: 

When  I  closed  my  last  letter  to  you,  I  left 
you  under  the  impression  that  I  would  spend 
the  winter  at  Forty  Mile,  among  the  miners, 
and  so  I  thought,  and  so  the  Superiors  in- 
tended, but  ''  Man  proposes  but  God  dis- 
poses." How  little  do  we  know  what  the 
future  will  bring,  or  what  we  shall  do  to- 
morrow !  When  I  wrote  you,  I  was  already 
on  the  steamer  going  to  Forty  Mile,  and  yet 
God  had  other  designs.  The  morning  after 
we  left  Nulato,  I  heard  a  crash  in  the  Cap- 
tain's cabin,  which  was  next  to  mine,  and 
you  can  imagine  my  feelings  when,  shortly 
afterwards,  he  told  me  he  had  broken  the 
demijohn  of  Mass  wine,  which  had  been  put 
in  his  charge  at  Holy  Cross  Mission,  and 
which  was  to  serve  me  for  the  whole  year. 
This  caused  me  not  a  little  worry;  but,  as 
they  were  confident  then  that  they  could 
make  another  trip  before  the  river  got  too 
low,  I  went  on,  with  the  gloomy  prospect  of 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  131 

being^  six  weeks  or  more  without  Mass,  for 
it  would  take  the  steamer  that  long  to  re- 
turn. 

It  was  the  first  time  I  had  been  so  far  up 
the  Yukon.  I  had  not  been  beyond  Nulato, 
which  is  about  six  hundred  miles  from  the 
mouth,  while  Forty  Mile  is  about  sixteen 
hundred  miles  from  St.  Michael.  The  river  is 
very  much  the  same  all  the  way  up,  except  in 
one  place,  where  there  are  mountains  on  both 
sides,*  while  elsewhere  they  are  only  on  one 
side.  The  only  little  incident  that  happened 
on  the  way  up  to  break  the  monotony  of  the 
steamer  life,  occurred  one  morning  after  we 
had  passed  a  place  called  Birch  Creek,  where 
we  took  on  twenty-six  miners.  About  four 
A.  M.,  when  many  were  not  3/^et  up,  the  pilot 
saw  two  moose  trying  to  cross  the  river  some 
distance  ahead  of  the  steamer,  and  at  once 
began  to  blow  the  whistle,  which  had  a 
double  effect  —  first,  to  frighten  the  moose 
and  so  keep  them  from  gaining  the  banks, 
and  secondly,  to  arouse  everyone  on  the 
steamer.    In  a  few  moments  the  whole  front 


*  The  Lower  Ramparts  of  the  Yukon.  "  At  this  point/* 
says  a  late  writer,  "  the  river  emerges  from  a  noble  series  of 
steep  hills  guarding  its  waters  on  both  sides.  They  extend 
along  its  course  for  two  hundred  miles,  and  are  so  embattled 
in  appearance  as  to  give  to  this  part  of  the  country  the  ap- 
^llation  of  Ramparts.  For  this  entire  distance  the  Yukon 
is  half  a  mile  wide,  with  rapid,  smooth  current,  and  deep 
enough   to  float   an   ocean   liner." 

Lynch  — "  Three   Years  in   the  Klondike." 


132  An  American  Missionary 

of  the  steamer  was  ablaze  with  repeating 
rifles,  so  that  the  poor  things  had  no  chance 
for  Hfe.  Mr.  G.,  one  of  the  members  of  the 
A.  C.  Company  from  San  Francisco,  was  the 
first  to  hit  them  while  yet  in  the  water,  at 
seven  hundred  yards.  For  ten  or  fifteen  min- 
utes there  was  a  perfect  rain  of  bullets  all 
around  them,  and  yet  they  received  only 
three  or  four  wounds. 

When  we  reached  Forty  Mile,  I  rented  a 
cabin,  got  some  flour,  bacon,  and  tea  from 
the  trader,  and  started  housekeeping  in  true 
hermit  style.  After  looking  around  for  a  few 
days  I  started  to  build  a  log-house  for  my- 
self, but  when  I  had  the  first  round  of  logs 
on,  the  steamer  returned  from  up  the  river, 
and  then  they  told  me  that  they  might  not 
be  able  to  get  back  from  St.  Michael,  on  ac- 
count of  low  water  in  some  parts  of  the  river. 
I  had,  in  the  meantime,  tried  to  find  some- 
thing that  could  be  used  for  Mass  wine;  but 
no  one  except  the  Episcopal  Bishop  had  any, 
and  he  would  not  give  it.  So  I  thought  the 
safest  thing  would  be  to  go  down  to  Holy 
Cross  on  the  steamer,  get  the  wine  and  other 
things  I  needed,  and  return,  if  the  steamer 
could  get  up.  Two  things  especially 
moved  me  to  this:  first,  I  did  not  like  the 
idea  of  being  a  whole  year  without  Mass; 
and  secondly,  I  thought  it  would  make  a  bad 
impression,  in  a  mixed  community  like  that, 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  133 

to  have  Catholic  service  without  Mass. 
Having  taken  this  resolution,  I  at  once  ar- 
ranged my  affairs  with  the  trader  and  started 
down. 

After  I  had  been  about  a  week  at  Holy 
Cross,  the  steamer  came  on  its  way  up  again, 
with  a  cargo  of  about  one  hundred  tons  of 
provisions,  which  would  be  badly  needed  at 
Forty  Mile  during  the  winter,  the  captain 
hoping  to  get  up,  even  if  he  could  not  get 
back  again.  Again  I  started  for  Forty  Mile, 
having  made  sure  of  the  safety  of  the  Mass 
wine  this  time.  All  went  well  the  first  two 
days,  but  on  the  third  day  the  captain,  who 
was  making  the  trip  against  his  will,  quar- 
reled with  the  purser  and  left  the  boat,  say- 
ing he  would  never  be  able  to  get  up.  The 
next  day,  the  chief  pilot  said  he  was 
going  to  leave  because  he  had  no  winter 
clothes  with  him,  but  in  truth  because  he 
thought  they  would  pay  him  whatever  he 
asked  rather  than  let  him  go;  but  he  was 
mistaken,  for  they  let  him  go.  We  were  for- 
tunate enough  to  find  at  one  of  the  stopping- 
places  an  Indian,  who  had  been  chief  pilot 
for  many  years,  but  who  is  now  mining, 
having  discovered  a  creek,  which  bears  his 
name,  and  which  is  said  to  be  as  rich  as  any 
yet  found  here.* 

*  The    name    of    this    intelligent    Indian    was    Manook    or 
Minook.     The  latter  name  was  given  not  only  to  the  creek 


134  An  American  Missionary 

After  this,  all  went  well  until  we  got  to 
what  is  called  Fort  Yukon,  a  place  where  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company  had  a  large  fort  and 
trading-post,  but  where  there  is  now  only  a 
warehouse,  built  last  year,  for  storing  the 
goods  of  the  trader.  For  some  miles  beyond 
this  point  the  river  becomes  very  wide  and 
shallow,  which  makes  it  difficult  for  the 
steamer  to  pass,  except  when  the  river  is 
high.  We  arrived  at  Fort  Yukon  in  the 
evening  and  remained  there  over  night,  so  as 
to  have  full  daylight  to  make  the  trial,  for 
we  knew  it  would  be  close  work,  if  we  got 
through  at  all.  At  three  o'clock  next  morn- 
ing we  started  out,  and  in  about  one  hour 
came  to  one  of  the  worst  places.  Here  we 
stuck  and  for  more  than  an  hour  tried  place 
after  place,  and  even  sent  a  small  boat  to 
sound  and  find  out  if  there  were  water 
enough  anywhere  for  us  to  pass,  but  all  in 
vain;  so  we  returned  to  Fort  Yukon,  where 
we  left  the  cargo.  We  sent  word  by  an  In- 
dian to  Forty  Mile,  which  is  about  three 
hundred  miles  from  Fort  Yukon,  telling  the 
trader  at  the  former  place  where  we  were 
leaving  the  provisions,  so  that  in  case  of  ur- 
gent need  he  could  come  for  them  with 
sleighs  when  the  river  would  be  closed. 

which  flows  into  the  Yukon  at  the  western  extremity  of  the 
Ramparts,  but  also  to  the  town  just  below  the  mouth  of  the 
creek.    The  town  is  now  known  as  Rampart  or  Rampart  City. 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  135 

I  had  now  to  make  another  election  and  to 
decide  whether  to  remain  and  try  to  get  to 
Forty  Mile  by  sleigh  in  the  winter,  or  to  re- 
turn to  Holy  Cross.  After  saying  Mass,  re- 
citing the  Veni  Creator,  and  considering  the 
chances  on  the  one  hand  of  getting  up  to 
Forty  Mile,  and  on  the  other  of  being  left  at 
Fort  Yukon  all  the  year,  I  determined  to  re- 
turn. Of  course,  the  Father  Superior  was 
disappointed  when  I  returned,  and  so  was  I; 
but  I  had  done  my  best  and  I  felt  confident 
that  it  had  all  so  happened  by  the  special 
appointment  of  God,  to  bring  about  what  He 
wished. 

When  I  returned  to  Holy  Cross,  winter 
was  already  setting  in,  so  I  could  not  go 
anywhere  until  the  sleighing  season  began, 
which  would  be  in  about  a  month.  This 
time  I  spent  very  happily  with  the  Father 
Superior  and  Father  Crimont,  who  had  just 
come  from  the  States  and  whom  I  knew  at 
Woodstock,  and  the  three  Brothers.  To- 
gether they  make  up  our  largest  community. 
What  added  very  much  to  the  happiness  of 
those  weeks  of  reunion  was  that  we  made 
our  retreat  all  together. 

As  soon  as  the  retreat  was  over,  I  started 
in  company  with  a  Brother  and  an  Indian 
for  this  station  on  the  Shagaluk  to  open  this 
house,  which  I  began  to  build  three  years 
ago ;  but  I  had  to  leave  before  it  was  half  up. 


136  An  American  Missionary 

In  the  meantime,  two  Brothers  had  come  and 
finished  the  walls  and  put  on  the  roof,  but 
nothing  more.  We  had  two  sleighs  loaded 
very  heavily,  for  we  needed  so  many  things 
—  provisions,  bedding,  tools,  stove,  etc.,  and 
besides  we  had  only  eleven  dogs  for  the  two 
sleighs,  which  would  not  have  been  too  many 
for  one,  especially  as  they  were  not  as  good 
as  they  might  have  been,  half  of  them  being 
pups  only  one  year  old.  However,  we  got 
along  very  well,  with  a  Httle  hard  work 
when  the  road  was  not  good.  The  first  day 
we  made  about  twenty-five  miles,  and  at  dark 
camped  for  the  night  in  an  old  Indian  sum- 
mer house. 

These  summer  houses  consist  generally  of 
a  lot  of  sticks  about  as  thick  as  a  man's  arm 
standing  side  by  side,  making  an  inclosure 
about  eight  feet  square  and  six  feet  high, 
and  a  roof  of  the  same  kind  of  sticks,  with 
a  hole  in  the  centre  to  let  ofT  the  smoke,  all 
covered  with  moss  and  clay.  The  one  we 
camped  in  was  minus  the  moss  and  clay  on 
two  sides;  but  it  was  better  than  camping 
outside,  wath  a  temperature  of  twenty  de- 
grees below  zero,  so  we  went  to  work  to  fix 
it  up  as  best  we  could. 

I  began  by  covering  the  two  sides,  from 
which  the  moss  had  fallen,  with  my  blanket; 
then  we  covered  the  remaining  holes  with  a 
piece   of  drill,   which   we   had   brought   for 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  137 

trading,  and  made  a  fire  inside,  Indian  fash- 
ion; but  we  could  not  stand  the  smoke,  so 
we  unpacked  our  sleighs  and  got  out  a  box- 
stove  we  had,  put  it  up,  with  two  or  three 
pieces  of  pipe  running  through  the  smoke- 
hole  in  the  roof,  shut  everything  up  as  well 
as  we  could,  and  made  a  good  fire,  which 
soon  made  it  quite  comfortable.  After  cook- 
ing and  enjoying  our  supper,  Brother  and  I 
performed  our  religious  exercises  together, 
filled  up  the  stove,  and  prepared  a  supply  of 
wood  for  the  night.  We  had  a  good  sleep, 
and  in  the  morning  I  said  Mass,  after  which 
we  took  our  breakfast,  broke  up  camp,  and 
started.  About  noon  we  stopped  for  a  din- 
ner of  dried  fish,  tea,  and  mush  made  of 
boiled  flour,  which  you  might  find  a  little 
heavy;  but  when  one  is  travelling  in  the  cold, 
it  is  very  good  eaten  with  a  little  molasses. 

That  evening  we  reached  a  place  called 
Nekakai,  where  an  Indian  has  a  log  house, 
the  only  one  in  that  neighborhood,  and 
stopped  there  for  the  night.  The  house  once 
had  a  good  furnace  made  of  stones  and  mud 
that  made  it  very  comfortable,  but  for  want 
of  repairs  it  had  become  unfit  for  use,  and, 
Indian-like,  the  family  had  gone  to  live  in  a 
mud  house  near  by.  As  soon  as  we  arrived, 
we  took  possession  of  the  log  house,  and 
when  we  saw  that  we  could  not  make  a  fire 
in  the   old  furnace,  we  got  out   our  stove 


138  An  American  Missionary 

again  and  put  it  up.  This  house  is  about 
lox  14  feet  and  divided  into  two  rooms,  one 
of  which  I  had  to  myself.  Here  we  had  a 
good  night's  rest,  said  Mass,  and  after 
breakfast  continued  our  journey.  About 
nine  o'clock  we  reached  the  first  regular  vil- 
lage on  the  road,  and  we  stopped  for  about 
an  hour  while  I  baptized  two  children. 

About  noon  the  same  da}^  we  met  a  party 
of  Indians,  who  told  me  there  was,  at  a  little 
village  somewhat  out  of  our  way,  a  child 
who  was  ver}^  sick,  and  who  had  not  been 
baptized.  At  once,  I  started  to  go  there, 
but  it  was  after  nightfall  when  I  arrived,  not 
a  little  fatigued,  and  you  can  imagine  my 
sorrow  when  they  told  me  the  little  one  had 
died  in  the  morning.  I  did  not  mind  the 
fatigue  of  the  journey,  as  long  as  I  had  the 
hope  of  saving  that  little  soul,  but  God 
willed  it  otherwise.  We  spent  the  night  in 
the  village,  and  next  morning  after  Mass 
and  breakfast  resumed  our  march,  arriving 
at  our  journey's  end  about  ten  o'clock. 

We  found  this  house,  or  at  least  the  walls 
and  roof  of  the  house  (for  there  were  no 
floors  or  partitions  yet)  so  covered  with 
frost  inside  that  one  would  have  thought  it 
was  made  of  ice  or  snow.  With  very  little 
delay  we  spread  some  loose  boards  in  the 
middle  of  the  house,  put  the  stove  on  them, 
and   ran   the   pipe   through   an   opening   in- 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  139 

tended  for  a  door  at  the  back.  Then  we 
made  a  hot  fire,  and  by  two  o'clock  had  slap- 
jacks and  tea  ready  for  dinner.  Very  soon 
the  heat  from  the  stove  began  to  melt  the 
frost  on  the  walls  and  roof,  and  for  two  or 
three  days  it  was  difficult  to  find  a  place 
where  one  could  keep  dry. 

It  was  Saturday  when  we  got  here,  and 
immediately  after  dinner  I  went  over  to  the 
village  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  to  see 
a  young  man,  whom  I  had  baptized  when 
here  three  years  ago,  and  who,  I  heard  be- 
fore starting,  was  now  dying  of  consumption. 
When  I  went  into  the  mud  house  where  he 
lived,  I  found  him  on  the  ground  near  the 
fire,  his  face  black  with  smoke,  and  so  weak 
that  he  could  not  move  and  could  scarcely 
speak.  I  had  him  put  on  the  side  shelf  or 
ledge,  which  is  raised  above  the  ground,  and 
got  some  water  and  washed  his  face  and 
hands,  for  which  he  was  most  grateful. 
Then  I  heard  his  confession  and  tried  to 
prepare  him  for  death,  as  I  saw  he  was  very 
near  the  end.  The  next  day,  Sunday,  I 
anointed  him,  and  when  I  went  to  see  him  on 
Monday,  I  found  him  in  his  agony,  so  I  re- 
mained with  him,  saying  the  beads  in  Indian 
and  repeating  the  Holy  Names  until  he  died. 

As  soon  as  the  death-stroke  came,  which 
was  some  minutes  before  he  drew  his  la»t 
breath,   all  his   relatives,   men   and   women. 


140  An  American  Missionary 

stripped  to  the  waist  and  began  to  cry  or 
wail  in  a  most  mechanical  manner,  waving 
their  arms  over  his  body  in  a  frantic  way. 
It  was  the  first  time  I  had  been  present  when 
one  of  the  natives  died,  and  I  was  not  pre- 
pared for  this  demonstration,  but  I  remained 
kneeling  at  his  head  repeating  the  Holy 
Names  until  I  was  sure  he  was  dead.  Then 
I  made  them  put  on  their  clothes  and  would 
not  let  them  touch  him  until  I  had  said  the 
beads  again  for  the  repose  of  his  soul.  He 
had  been  a  good  young  man,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  God  kept  him  alive  until  I  came  to 
give  him  the  Sacraments. 

As  soon  as  we  got  one-fourth  of  the  floor 
of  our  house  down,  I  started  to  build  an  al- 
tar, and  in  two  weeks  I  was  able  to  say  Mass 
on  it;  but,  although  I  was  very  anxious  to 
have  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in  the  house,  I 
was  not  able  to  finish  the  altar  and  chapel 
until  Holy  Thursday.  The  chapel  is  four- 
teen feet  wide  and  ten  feet  deep  and 
separated  by  folding  doors  from  the  Indian 
room,  fourteen  feet  by  twenty  feet,  which 
serves  as  the  body  of  the  church  during  ser- 
vices. Just  inside  the  door  is  the  altar-rail- 
ing, the  first,  I  believe,  in  Alaska.  The  altar 
has  two  steps  and  is  nine  feet  over  all.  Noth- 
ing gives  me  more  happiness  than  to  be  able 
to  have  things  nice  for  our  dear  Lord  in  the 
Sacrament  of  His  Love,  and  therefore  I  am 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  141 

most  grateful  to  those  who  send  me  any- 
thing for  the  altar  or  the  chapel.  The  house 
is  thirty  feet  long  and  twenty-four  feet  wide. 
Up-stairs  there  is  a  half-story  over  all,  except 
the  chapel,  which  gives  storage,  a  place  for 
one  or  tw^o  Indian  boys,  whom  I  generally 
keep,  and  a  room  for  a  Brother,  when  I  am 
happy  enough  to  have  one.  At  present  I 
have  charge  of  six  villages,  this  one,  two 
down  the  river,  and  three  up,  so  that  I  am 
nearly  in  the  middle  of  the  Mission. 

On  the  7th  of  January  I  started  to  visit  the 
three  upper  villages.  When  I  arrived  at  the 
last  of  the  three,  which  is  about  fifty  miles 
from  this  house,  I  found  the  people  making 
what  they  call  a  feast,  which  is  a  supersti- 
tious performance,  by  which  they  believe 
they  will  obtain  all  they  need  for  the  coming- 
year.  At  first  they  would  not  let  me  go  into 
the  Casino.  When  I  told  them  I  would  not 
speak  against  their  performance  while  in 
there,  they  allowed  me  to  go  in.  I  was  glad, 
because  I  had  never  seen  the  whole  business 
before,  and  I  wished  to  know  just  how  much 
superstition  there  is  in  these  feasts.  I  will 
try  to  describe  all  I  saw  that  night,  so  that 
you  may  know  Vx^hat  we  have  to  work 
against. 

This  Casino  is  about  twenty-five  by  forty 
feet,  the  side  walls  about  eight  feet  high, 
with  a  roof  slanting  from  the  walls  to  the 


142  An  American  Missionary 

centre,  where  is  the  window,  which  is  about 
sixteen  feet  from  the  floor.  During  these 
feasts  they  put  four  sticks  (about  six  feet 
high,  and  four  or  five  inches  wide,  and  dec- 
orated with  feathers  and  drawings  of  ani- 
mals), one  a  few  feet  from  each  wall,  at  the 
four  sides  of  the  room.  They  believe  that 
these  sticks  contain  spirits,  which  have 
power  to  make  them  live  or  die,  and  that  if 
anyone  go  between  these  sticks  and  the  wall, 
he  will  die.  Then  they  make  hundreds  of 
sticks  about  the  size  of  a  yardstick,  on  one 
end  of  which  they  carve  rudely  different  ani- 
mals, fish,  bags  of  flour  or  tea,  and  every- 
thing they  desire  to  get.  These  they  place 
side  by  side  all  around  the  Casino,  just 
where  the  roof  joins  the  w^all,  and  they  be- 
lieve the  more  of  these  sticks  they  place  in 
the  Casino  during  the  feast,  the  more  things 
they  will  get. 

They  never  have  their  performances  in  the 
day  time,  but  always  at  night,  and  generally 
begin  them  about  six  o'clock,  which  is  full 
night  here  in  winter.  When  all  is  ready,  all 
the  people  come  in,  young  and  old,  men, 
w^omen,  and  children,  the  men  occupying  the 
large  bench  or  shelf,  which  runs  all  around, 
and  the  women  and  children  sitting  on  the 
floor  and  filling  every  corner,  leaving  only 
the  centre  of  the  room  clear.  On  one  side  of 
this  opening,  that  night,  there  were  six  men 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  143 

with  hoops  covered  with  seal  bladders 
stretched  like  drum-heads,  and  all  ni^ht  long 
they  beat  these  with  small,  tiat  sticks,  keep- 
ing time  to  the  singing,  which  they  kept  up 
all  night,  sometimes  in  solo,  sometimes  in 
chorus.  It  was  the  best  Indian  singing  I 
have  heard  since  I  came  here.  They  sang 
in  this  way  until  near  midnight,  when  they 
brought  in  another  stick  dressed  with 
feathers  like  the  others,  and  placed  it  in  the 
middle  of  the  room.  Then  a  woman  and  a 
girl  dressed  for  the  occasion  with  feathers 
on  their  heads  and  feathers  tied  on  their  fin- 
gers, came  before  the  stick  and  began  to  bow 
and  bow  to  it,  first  at  a  little  distance,  then 
gradually  drawing  nearer,  until  they  got 
close  to  it,  when  they  got  down  on  their 
knees  and  bowed  down  to  the  floor  many 
times. 

During  all  this,  the  men  were  beating  their 
drums  and  the  people  singing.  After  some 
time  the  w^oman  and  the  girl  disappeared 
through  a  hole  in  the  floor,  the  stick  that  had 
received  so  much  homage  was  removed,  and 
the  singing  Avent  on  as  before.  When  I 
spoke  with  some  of  the  most  intelligent  of 
the  men  and  tried  to  show  them  that  these 
sticks  had  no  power  to  help  them,  their  only 
answer  was :  **  When  we  do  this  ^vay,  we 
have  plenty,  but  when  we  do  not  do  it,  we 
have  nothing.'*     Again,  to  show  you  what 


144  An  American  Missionary 

reverence  they  have  for  the  Medicine  Man: 
in  another  village,  on  one  occasion,  they  shut 
the  window  in  the  top  of  the  Casino  before 
all  the  smoke  was  out;  and  when  they  per- 
ceived that,  one  of  the  men  took  an  old 
Shaman's  glove,  put  it  on  a  stick,  and  stuck 
it  up  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  When  I 
asked  what  that  was  for,  they  told  me  it 
would  prevent  the  smoke  from  making  them 
sick.  After  arguing  with  them  for  a  while,  I 
took  the  glove  and  beat  it  as  hard  as  I  could 
with  my  fist  and  said  to  them,  "  See,  I  beat 
it,  and  it  has  no  power  to  hurt  me!"  But,  as 
before,  they  only  answered,  "  If  we  do  that, 
we  do  not  get  sick;  but  if  we  do  not  put  it 
there,  we  get  sick."  On  my  trip  I  baptized 
five  infants,  one  of  whom  died  about  two 
months  afterwards.  To  see  these  little  ones 
go  to  heaven  is  one  of  our  greatest  consola- 
tions at  present.  It  is  very  hard  to  get  the 
old  people  to  give  up  the  superstitions  they 
have  been  educated  in  from  their  childhood; 
all  we  can  do  is  to  instruct  them  as  well  as 
we  can,  and  try  to  save  them  at  the  last 
moment .  Many  of  the  young  are  better 
disposed,  and  I  think,  in  time,  with  constant 
teaching,  they  will  give  up  these  supersti- 
tions. 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  145 

Holy  Cross  Mission, 
Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart. 

I  started  from  my  Mission  to  come  here 
on  the  27th  of  May  in  a  boat  I  had  built  for 
the  purpose.  The  distance  is  seventy-five 
miles  by  the  river,  and  I  expected  to  make  it 
in  one  day,  but  the  mouth  of  the  river  w^as 
gorged  with  ice,  which  almost  stopped  the 
current,  so  we  had  to  paddle  all  the  way. 
The  second  night  we  met  the  ice  about  fifteen 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Shagaluk  and 
had  to  stop.  Next  morning  it  had  moved 
down,  so  we  started  again ;  but,  after  going 
about  five  miles,  we  overtook  it  and  at  first 
thought  we  would  have  to  wait.  However, 
after  going  along  the  bank  for  some  distance 
and  examining  it,  we  found  that  on  account 
of  the  little  current  in  the  river  the  ice  was 
not  so  compact  as  it  generally  is,  so  we 
determined  to  try  to  make  our  way  through 
it.  At  first  it  was  close  work,  and  would 
have  been  dangerous  if  there  had  been  any 
current,  but  after  working  among  the  ice  for 
about  three  hours,  we  came  to  clear  water 
again,  which  lasted  until  we  got  to  the 
mouth  of  the  river,  which  we  found  entirely 
blocked  up. 

As  it  was  near  noon,  we  stopped  and  pre- 
pared our  dinner,  which  consisted  of  a  duck 
roasted  on  a  stick  over  a  camp-fire,  without 


146  An  American  Missionary 

any  bread  or  vegetables.  In  fact,  I  had  been 
living  chiefly  on  geese  and  ducks  for  nearly 
a  month,  so  that  the  prospect  of  v^aiting  tv^o 
or  three  days  for  the  ice  to  go  out  w^as  far 
from  being  pleasant. 

While  we  v^ere  taking  our  simple  dinner, 
three  Indians  came  dow^n  in  their  canoes, 
w^ishing  also  to  get  over  to  the  Mission. 
After  talking  the  matter  over  and  sending  a 
man  up  a  tree  to  try  to  see  if  the  Yukon 
were  clear  of  ice,  the  Indians  said  they  knew 
a  way  to  get  to  the  Yukon  by  making  a  long 
portage  across  the  country  and  following  a 
slough.  I  determined  to  leave  my  boat  with 
my  boy  and  an  Indian,  who  would  bring  it 
as  soon  as  the  river  was  open,  and  to  go 
myself  with  the  three  Indians  by  the  portage. 

After  going  a  short  distance  in  the  canoes, 
we  landed  and  carried  them  two  or  three 
miles  across  the  country  to  a  slough  of  the 
Yukon,  which,  though  not  clear  of  ice,  was 
sufficiently  so  to  allow  our  canoes  to  go. 
After  following  this  for  about  two  hours, 
we  came  in  sight  of  the  Yukon,  which,  to  our 
great  relief,  we  found  entirely  clear  of  ice,  so 
all  we  had  to  do  was  to  cross  the  Yukon  and 
we  were  at  the  Mission,  where  we  arrived  at 
7  P.  M.,  just  in  time  for  the  Benediction  after 
May  service. 

Since  I  came  here,  I  have  been  delighted 
to  see  the  piety  of  the  school  children,  boys 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  147 

and  girls.  In  March,  Father  Superior  made 
the  trip  to  Kotzebue  Sound,  and  selected  a 
place  for  a  Mission,  which  he  hoped  to  start 
this  year,  if  we  got  any  men.  His  health  was 
not  good  when  he  started,  and  it  was  a  long 
and  difficult  journey.  For  the  success  of  this 
undertaking  Father  Crimont  who  has  charge 
of  the  boys,  and  the  Sisters,  started  a  kind 
of  Apostleship  of  Prayer  among  the  children, 
by  which  they  were  to  offer  up  prayers,  good 
works,  and  penances  for  Father  Tosi  and 
the  success  of  his  trip.  You  would  be  aston- 
ished, as  I  was  myself,  to  see  the  list  of  heroic 
acts  of  charity,  mortification,  and  self-denial 
performed  by  these  Indian  children  during 
the  month  of  March — taking  the  discipline 
at  night,  eating  their  meals  on  the  floor, 
keeping  hours  of  silence  during  the  time  they 
are  allowed  to  speak,  etc. 

During  the  month  of  May  they  did  the 
same  in  honor  of  our  Blessed  Mother,  offer- 
ing the  acts  to  her  on  the  day  of  the  May  pro- 
cession at  the  end  of  the  month.  But  during 
this  month,  June,  and  especially  during  the 
novena  to  the  Sacred  Heart,  they  have  sur- 
passed themselves.  I  do  not  think  they  have 
been  outdone  by  the  same  number  of  white 
children  in  any  school;  so  their  generosity 
may  be  a  spur  even  to  your  boys. 

Just  at  the  beginning  of  the  novena  to  the 
Sacred  Heart,  one  of  the  girls  was   taken 


148  An  American  Missionary 

sick;  the  next  day,  as  there  were  evident 
signs  that  she  was  going  into  a  coma,  the 
Father  heard  her  confession,  gave  her  the 
Viaticum,  and  anointed  her.  When  she  re- 
ceived the  Sacraments,  she  was  perfectly 
conscious,  but  shortly  after,  the  coma  came 
on.  However,  at  times  she  regained  con- 
sciousness, and  Sunday  night  she  prayed 
all  night  and  told  the  Sister  she  would  go  to 
heaven  on  Wednesday.  At  noon  on  Monday 
she  again  became  insensible,  and  at  seven 
o'clock  in  the  evening  died  without  a  strug- 
gle. She  had  been  a  good  girl,  very  devout 
to  the  Sacred  Heart.  She  was  about  four- 
teen years  old  and  had  been  with  the  Sisters 
three  or  four  years. 

Our  May  procession,  although  not  so 
grand  as  yours,  was  very  devotional,  and 
made  me  feel  very  happy,  for  they  sang  the 
same  litanies  and  hymns  as  we  used  to  sing 
in  the  grand  processions  at  Loyola.  We  pre- 
pared two  altars  outside  for  the  Corpus 
Christi  procession.  The  feast-day  itself  was 
a  beautiful  day;  but,  as  we  expected  back, 
for  Sunday,  Father  Superior,  Father  Robaut, 
and  two  Brothers,  who  were  away,  we  put 
off  the  procession  to  that  day,  and  to  our 
great  disappointment  it  rained  nearly  all  day, 
so  we  could  not  have  it. 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  149 

St.  Michael,  July. 

On  the  24th  of  June  the  steamer  Arctic 
arrived  at  Holy  Cross  Mission,  having  on 
board  all  the  traders  from  the  upper  river. 
This  first  down  trip  of  the  A.  C.  Company's 
boat  is  a  great  event  at  the  Mission,  because 
the  children  always  give  a  little  entertain- 
ment to  the  agents  of  the  Company,  the 
traders,  and  any  white  passengers  who  may 
chance  to  be  on  board.  The  children  are 
very  anxious  for  the  arrival  of  this  steamer, 
and  often  go  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  to 
see  if  there  is  any  sign  of  it. 

Its  arrival  was  most  opportune  this  year. 
The  children  saw  the  smoke  from  the 
mountain  about  one  hour  before  the  boat 
arrived,  and  at  once  began  to  prepare  for  the 
great  event  of  the  year.  When  the  steamer 
came,  the  weather  was  clear  and  bright,  and 
the  Mission  never  looked  better.  The  chil- 
dren, boys  and  girls,  were  drawn  up  in  two 
lines  to  receive  the  visitors,  and  one  of  the 
boys  read  a  nice  little  address  of  welcome 
to  the  head  agent  of  the  A.  C.  Company,  who 
was  among  them.  After  the  address,  the 
children  filed  into  the  large  schoolroom,  fol- 
lowed by  the  visitors.  The  Sisters  had  pre- 
pared a  long  program;  but  the  steamer  had 
been  delayed,  and  the  agent  was  very  anx- 
ious to  reach  St.  Michael  before  the  ocean 


150  An  American  Missionary 

steamer  arrived  there;  so  they  left  out  rrmch 
that  had  been  prepared,  giving  only  a  song 
of  welcome,  some  specimens  of  reading,  a 
second  address  and  a  few  more  songs,  the 
last  of  which  was  "  Wait  for  the  Wagon/' 

Although  the  entertainment  was  so  short, 
all  were  astonished  at  what  they  saw  and 
heard.  When  the  next  steamer  goes  up,  it  is 
likely  the  children  will  have  a  chance  to  give 
the  whole  program.  The  boys  read  at  table 
for  the  Fathers,  and  I  can  safely  say  they  are 
not  inferior  to  any  white  boys  of  the  same 
age. 

The  ocean  steamer  arrived  here  Saturday, 
June  29th,  bringing  only  one  Father  and  one 
Brother,  while  we  were  hoping  for  at  least 
three  Fathers  and  as  many  Brothers.  There 
are  so  many  calls  on  us,  from  both  whites 
and' Indians,  that  Rev.  Father  Superior  is 
truly  puzzled  how  to  supply  so  many  de- 
mands with  so  few  subjects. 

During  the  past  year  this  station  has  been 
completely  renev/ed  by  the  new  agent  of  the 
A.  C.  Company.  The  old  buildings  have  all 
been  remodeled  or  repaired,  and  many  new 
buildings  have  been  added,  among  them  sev- 
eral large  warehouses,  a  large  boarding- 
house  for  the  traders  and  visitors,  and  pri- 
vate houses.  We  have  a  double  house  for 
the  first  time;  heretofore  we  had  only  rooms 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  15i 

in  the  Company's  houses ;  or,  when  they  were 
full,  we  lived  in  our  tents. 

The  number  of  whites  in  the  country  is  in- 
creasing very  rapidly  and,  consequently,  the 
demand  for  food.  Every  year  since  I  came, 
the  A.  C.  Company  has  been  doubling  its 
supplies ;  but,  even  with  what  the  new  Com- 
pany brings,  it  has  been,  until  this  year,  close 
work,  especially  for  the  upper  country. 
The  A.  C.  Company  will  put  on  two  new 
river  steamers  this  summer,  one  very  large 
which  will  carry  at  least  three  hundred  tons, 
and  one  small  which  will  remain  in  the  upper 
river  to  supply  the  stations  above  Forty  Mile. 

The  Yukon  river  passes  just  in  front  of  the 
Mission,  about  a  hundred  yards  from  the 
fence.  This  year  we  have  extended  the  gar- 
den to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  river-bank. 
Last  year  the  Sisters  raised  a  quantity  of  fine 
cauliflower,  and  both  Fathers  and  Sisters  had 
potatoes,  turnips,  cabbage,  and  other  vegeta- 
bles all  the  year,  and  were  able  to  give  them 
frequently  to  the  children,  who  are  especially 
fond  of  raw  turnips,  and  who  enjoy  much 
better  health  since  we  have  been  able  to  give 
them  in  abundance. 

This  year  we  hope  to  have  potatoes  enough 
to  give  them  to  the  children  daily.  I  have 
not  yet  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  vegetables, 
except  for  short  intervals,  as  I  have  always 
run  away  from  Missions,  when  they  began  to 


152  An  American  Missionary 

have  vegetables,  to  go  to  stations  where 
there  were  none. 

Among  our  children  is  the  daughter  of 
the  Russian  priest,  which  shows  that  our 
school  has  a  very  good  name.  We  also  have 
the  children  of  nearly  all  the  traders.  One  of 
the  larger  girls  is  already  able  to  play  the 
organ  at  Mass.  Many  of  the  children  are 
fond  of  music,  and  some  show  unusual  talent 
for  it.  I  wish  we  had  some  viohns  and  other 
instruments  for  the  boys.  It  would  add  very 
much  to  the  school  if  we  could  have  a  band, 
but  we  are  too  poor  to  buy  the  instruments 
and  music. 

Many  boys  and  girls  have  left  the  school 
and  are  doing  well;  some  of  the  boys  are  em- 
ployed by  the  A.  C.  Company,  others  are 
clerking  for  the  traders  and  giving  great  sat- 
isfaction. Several  girls  who  have  been  mar- 
ried to  good  young  men  (Indians)  give  great 
promise  for  the  future,  and  they  cannot  fail 
to  do  much  good  to  those  around  them. 

There  have  not  been  many  children  at  the 
new  school,  which  we  opened  last  year,  but 
only  because  we  did  not  wish  too  many  until 
the  Sisters  had  time  to  prepare.  We  can 
have  as  many  children  at  the  school  as  we 
wish;  the  only  limit  is,  how  many  have  we 
the  means  to  support.  If  we  could  only 
make  our  needs  known  to  those  who  have 
the  means  to  help  us,  I  am  sure  many  would 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  153 

be  happy  to  aid  us  in  this  good  work.  The 
boarding-schools  produce  sohd  fruit,  and  ac- 
comphsh  it  more  quickly  and  better  than 
any  other  means ;  but,  of  course,  they  are  ex- 
pensive, and  we  have  been  notified  that  the 
little  help  the  Government  has  been  giving 
us  will  be  discontinued  for  the  future,  so  we 
now  depend  entirely  on  charity  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  Mission. 

We  have  been  blessed  with  an  unusually 
fine  spring  and  summer  this  year,  and  what 
adds  very  much,  we  have  never  seen  so  few 
mosquitoes. 

We  now  have  ten  Fathers,  seven  Brothers, 
and  eleven  Sisters ;  but  what  is  that  for  such 
an  immense  country?  When  will  the  Lord 
hear  our  prayers  and  send  laborers  into  his 
vineyard? 

Thank  God  I  am  well,  and  as  happy  as 
ever.  I  love  this  Mission  and  would  be  very 
sorry  to  return  to  the  States,  even  for  a 
short  time.  Even  to  come  here  (to  St.  Mi- 
chael) is  a  penance,  as  it  keeps  me  from  my 
Mission  so  long;  and,  what  is  worse,  as  so 
few  new  missionaries  came  to  join  us  this 
year,  Father  Superior  may  be  compelled  to 
send  me  to  some  new  station.  Fiat  volun- 
tas Dei! 

Now^  I  think  I  have  given  you  a  good  idea 
of  my  simple  year's  work,  and  hope  you  will 
not  find  it  altogether  uninteresting. 


154  An  American  Missionary 

I  cannot  tell  you  now  where  I  shall  spend 
the  coming  year,  but  I  shall  try  to  write  you 
later,  when  it  is  settled.  In  the  union  of  the 
Sacred  Heart,  I  remain, 

Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

Fraternal  affection,  gratitude  to  God,  and 
cheerful  courage,  becoming  stronger  amid 
the  hardships  of  Mission  work,  are  mani- 
fested in  other  letters  written  from  St.  Mi- 
chael in  the  summer  of  this  year. 

''  You  always  ask  me,"  he  writes,  "  to  tell 
you  everything  about  myself,  and  I  try  to  do 
so;  although  I  am  almost  afraid,  because 
you  exaggerate  things  so  much,  making 
what  is  nothing  something  very  heroic. 

"I  was  very  happy  this  year  with  my  good 
Indians,  at  the  Sacred  Heart  Mission,  and  I 
had  plenty  to  eat  all  the  year;  but,  about  the 
first  of  May,  my  flour  began  to  run  out,  so  I 
had  to  put  myself  on  short  allowance.  At 
first,  I  had  two  cups  of  flour  a  day,  which  was 
good  enough,  although  three  cups  would 
have  been  much  better;  then  I  got  to  one  cup 
a  day;  and,  the  last  week  before  I  came  to 
Holy  Cross  Mission,  I  had  no  cup.  Still 
there  was  no  danger  of  starvation  or  even  of 
being  very  hungry,  as  I  had  plenty  of  geese, 
ducks,  and  fish ;  but  to  eat  these  three  times  a 
day  without  bread  or  vegetables  is  harder 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  155 

than  one,  who  has  not  tried  it,  would  think. 
When  I  had  only  two  cups  of  flour  left,  I 
woke  up  one  night  about  twelve  o'clock, 
feeling  very  sick ;  and  shortly  after  1  began 
to  vomit  as  though  I  had  been  poisoned. 
But  I  think  it  was  only  a  bilious  attack 
brought  on  by  eating  so  much  meat  at  the 
time  of  the  year  when  we  do  not  need  it. 

"The  next  da}^  I  was  unable  to  eat  any- 
thing but  broken  ice.  The  second  day  was 
the  feast  of  the  Ascension.  With  difficulty, 
I  said  Mass  and  got  my  Indian  boy  to  cook 
the  two  cups  of  flour,  making  two  short- 
cakes, one  of  which  I  took  that  day,  but  kept 
the  other  for  several  days,  taking  only  a 
little  piece  at  each  meal.  If  I  had  not  been 
sick  it  would  not  have  been  so  hard,  but  I 
could  not  bear  the  sight  of  meat  for  some 
days.  The  day  before  I  got  sick,  I  had  a  sud- 
den inspiration  to  communicate  as  though 
it  were  my  Viaticum,  and  I  did  so.  When  I 
woke  up  the  next  night  feeling  so  sick,  I 
could  not  help  thinking  that  it  might  be  the 
beginning  of  the  end  and  that  the  commun- 
ion of  the  morning  was  really  the  Viaticum, 
as  there  was  no  priest  within  fifty  miles,  and 
it  was  impossible  to  send  word  at  that  season 
when  the  snow  was  melting  and  the  rivers 
not  yet  clear  of  ice.  But,  as  A  Kempis  says, 
I  was  not  worthy  to  pass  to  my  reward  yet : 
and  so  I  must  strive  now  with  the  help  of 


156  An  American  Missionary 

your  prayers  to  prepare  better.  I  expect  to 
be  alone  again  this  year,  for  nine  or  ten 
months;  but  do  not  fear,  for  I  feel  confi- 
dent that  He,  for  whose  sake  I  am  leaving 
all,  even  the  Sacraments,  will  not  forsake 
me  in  the  hour  of  need/' 

To  one  of  his  brothers,  he  says:  "  I  assure 
you  I  have  never  felt  really  separated  from 
you.  You  are  so  constantly  present  to  my 
mind  that  it  is  hard  to  realize  I  have  not 
seen  you  for  so  long,  or  that  there  are  so 

many  thousands  of  miles  between  us 

I  am  very  happy,  and  my  happiness  is  not 
a  little  increased  by  hearing  that  all  the 
dear  ones  in  the  States  are  well  and  happy." 

On  July  24th,  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  sis- 
ters :  "  As  you  say,  it  is  not  so  much  what  we 
do,  that  God  regards,  as  with  how  much 
generosity  we  do  it.  And  what  more  can 
any  one  do  than  to  desire  with  his  whole 
heart  that  God's  holy  will  may  be  fully  ac- 
complished in  him,  and  to  do  all  he  can 
to  bring  it  about.  This  year,  I  have  felt 
more  than  ever  before,  how  grateful  we 
should  be  for  the  many  special  graces  we 

have  all  received We  should  be 

continually  thanking  His  Divine  Majesty  for 
these  special  tokens  of  His  love;  and  we  may 
be  sure  that  if  we  are  grateful  for  graces 
already  received,  He  will  not  fail  to  grant 
those  we  need  for  the  future.     I  think  there 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  157 

is  nothing  sweeter  or  more  soothing  to  the 
soul  than  an  ardent  desire  that  God's  holy 
will  may  be  fully  and  perfectly  accomplished 
in  us;  so,  when  we  feel  such  desires  in  our 
hearts,  we  should  thank  God  for  them,  as 
they  are  the  fruit  of  His  bounty  towards 
us.  ....  . 

''  I  am  very  well  and  happy  now.  I  shall 
have  to  remain  here  (at  St.  Michael)  about 
two  weeks  more,  to  attend  to  our  supplies 
for  the  coming  year  and  to  look  after  what- 
ever goods  may  be  sent  us  by  the  steamer; 
then  I  shall  go  to  Forty  Mile,  and  remain 
there  until  next  summer.  I  know  I  shall 
have  plenty  of  work,  so  the  time  will  not 
hang  heavily  on  my  hands.  Ever  since  I 
came  to  Alaska,  I  have  been  wishing  that 
the  days  and  the  years  were  twice  as  long." 

By  September,  Father  Judge  was  once 
more  afloat  on  the  great  river,  as  we  see  from 
the  following  letter: 

Steamer  Alice, 
Yukon  River,  Alaska,  Sept.  2nd,  1895. 
Dear  Brother: 

I  received  the  books  you  so  kindly  sent 
me,  and  I  am  very  thankful  for  them.  As 
you  see  from  the  heading,  I  am  on  the  go 
again,  and  with  a  good  prospect  of  reach- 
ing  Forty  Mile   this   time.     I   was   hoping 


158  An  American  Missionary 

we  would  receive  a  good  reinforcement  this 
year;  but  only  one  Father  came,  and  two 
had  to  return  to  the  States.  So  Father 
Superior  had  no  one  else  he  could  send  to 
the  whites,  and  I  had  to  go. 

We  could  not  well  refuse  them  a  priest 
this  year;  because,  now  that  our  Superior 
is  Prefect  Apostolic,  he  has  charge  of  the 
whites  as  well  as  of  the  Indians;  and  be- 
sides, the  number  of  the  former  is  increas- 
ing very  fast.  I  have  already  given  you,  in 
my  letters  of  last  year,  an  idea  of  what  my 
life  may  be;  but  what  it  will  be  in  reality, 
I  cannot  say  until  next  year.  No  doubt  the 
hardest  part  will  be  to  be  alone  for  ten 
months,  with  no  communication  whatever 
with  the  other  Fathers;  but  I  hope  it  will  be 
"  alone  with  God." 

The  letter  you  wrote  May  28th,  1894,  came 
to  St.  Michael,  but  too  late  to  be  sent  up  the 
river.  It  was  forwarded  to  Holy  Cross  dur- 
ing the  winter,  where  I  found  it  when  I  got 
there  about  the  first  of  June.  So,  it  was  just 
a  year  old  when  I  received  it.  .  .  . 

Pray  that  God  may  send  laborers  into  His 
vineyard.  Many  children  are  dying  without 
baptism  because  the  field  is  so  large  and  we 
are  so  few.  I  am  well  and  happy.  Natur- 
ally I  would  prefer  to  remain  with  the  In- 
dians; but  I  know  that  what  is  done  from 
obedience,  is  more  pleasing  to  God  and  more 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  159 

profitable  to  us  than  what  we  do  because 
we  hke  it;  and,  ahhough  I  am  in  no  way 
suitable  for  the  task  that  has  been  put  upon 
me,  I  have  good  reason  to  hope  that  He, 
who  sends  me  to  this  work,  will  supply  what 
is  wanting  in  His  poor  servant. 

Wishing  you  a  very  happy  year,  I  remain, 
Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  year  1896  found  the  hopeful  Mission- 
ary in  the  new  field  of  labor  at  Forty  Mile 
Post.  The  following  letters  give  us  some 
idea  of  his  life  and  work : 


Dear  Brother: 


Forty  Mile,  N.  W.  T., 

Feb.  9th,  1896. 


I  hope  this  will  prove  a  pleasant  surprise, 
coming,  as  it  will,  at  a  time  when  you  are 
not  looking  for  letters  from  these  parts. 
About  this  time  every  year,  some  men  go 
from  here  to  the  States  by  way  of  Juneau, 
haying  six  hundred  miles  to  make  with 
sleigh  and  dogs.  I  do  not  know  what  kind 
of  weather  you  are  enjoying  this  evening, 
but  I  would  not  be  surprised  if  we  were  100 
degrees  colder  than  it  is  with  you.  As  I 
am  writing,  it  is  64  degrees  below  zero,  and 
last  month  it  was  70  degrees  below  for  ten 


160  An  American  Missionary 

days  on  a  stretch.  You  see,  however,  Lhat 
my  ink  is  not  frozen;  and,  in  fact,  my  log- 
cabin  is  quite  comfortable.  We  are  in  the 
midst  of  winter,  but  the  short  dark  days  are 
passed,  and  we  begin  to  feel  the  joy  of  spring, 
for  it  does  one  good  to  see  the  sun  after  it  has 
been  out  of  sight  for  a  month,  as  it  happens 
here  during  the  period  of  shortest  days. 
At  such  times  we  have  scarcely  four  hours 
of  light,  but  now  we  have  ten  hours  of  day- 
light with  six  of  sunshine.  The  days 
lengthen  very  rapidly,  and  by  the  end  of 
March  we  shall  not  need  lamps  any  more. 

I  am  with  the  whites  this  year,  for  this  is 
a  mining-camp;  everybody  looking  for  gold, 
some  finding  it,  and  some  getting  nothing, 
a  few  becoming  rich,  but  the  greater  number 
only  making  a  living,  and  all  working  very, 
very  hard.  You  would  be  astonished  to  see 
the  amount  of  hard  work  that  men  do  here 
in  the  hope  of  finding  gold.  They  burn  holes 
like  wells  through  the  ice  and  the  frozen 
ground,  some  of  them  as  much  as  thirty  feet 
deep.  To  sink  these  holes  they  have  to  cut 
large  quantities  of  wood,  make  a  big  fire 
every  evening,  and  next  morning  clean  out 
all  that  is  thawed.  You  can  imagine  what 
work  they  have;  and  yet,  very  often,  after 
sinking  these  holes,  they  find  nothing.  O 
if  men  would  only  work  for  the  kingdom  of 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  101 

heaven  with  a  Httle  of  that  wonderful  energy, 
how  many  saints  we  would  have! 

All  my  flock  are  not  here  at  the  Post ;  some 
are  scattered  on  the  different  creeks  within 
a  range  of  a  hundred  miles;  so  that  I  have  as 
much  travelling  as  I  had  when  I  was  with 
the  Indians.  I  was  away,  from  January  8th 
to  February  4th,  visiting  the  miners  along 
Forty  Mile  Creek.*  I  had  some  hard  work 
and  was  delayed  by  the  severe  cold,  but  I 
was  pleased  with  the  result  of  my  visit.  All 
received  me  well,  Protestants  as  well  as 
Catholics,  and  I  often  had  an  opportunity 
of  explaining  Catholic  doctrine  to  those  who 
had  never  heard  a  true  statement  of  our 
faith.  I  expect  to  be  on  the  road  most  of 
March  and  April  visiting  the  other  creeks 
where  the  men  are  working. 

When  at  home,  and  generally  even  when 
travelling,  I  am  very  comfortable.  Still,  we 
have  no  Pullman  cars,  and  when  the  snow 
blows  over  the  trail,  it  is  a  little  like  hard 
work  to  go  with  sleigh  and  dogs.  Here  at 
Forty  Mile,  I  have  two  log-cabins  under  one 
roof,  one  for  our  Lord  and  the  other  for  His 
poor  servant.  I  am  all  alone,  but  it  is  a 
haptpy  solitude,  for  my  room  opens  into  the 
chapel  where  I  keep  the  Blessed  Sacrament, 
and  I  can  enjoy  His  company  as  often  as  I 
wish ;  so,  though  all  alone,  I  am  never  alone. 

*  See  map. 


162  An  American  Missionary 

I  made  an  altar  nearly  the  same  as  the  one 
at  the  Sacred  Heart  Mission,  and  a  good  lady 
gave  me  a  nice  carpet  for  the  sanctuary, 
which  makes  the  chapel  look  passing  well 
for  these  parts.  I  am  well  and  happy,  as  I 
ought  to  be,  seeing  how  good  God  has  been 
to  me  calling  me  to  His  sweet  service.  God 
bless  you! 

Under  the  same  date,  he  writes  to  another: 
"  We  did  not  see  the  sun  from  the  8th  of 
December  to  the  4th  of  January;  but  that 
is  on  account  of  the  mountains  which  sur- 
round us  on  all  sides.  During  those  four 
weeks,  the  sun  never  rose  high  enough  to 
be  seen  above  the  mountains;  but  already, 
the  days  are  twice  as  long  as  they  were  at 
Christmas. 

"As  you  know,  I  am  with  the  whites  this 
year,  and  therefore  am  enjoying  some  of  the 
comforts  of  civilization.  For,  even  in  this 
last  corner  of  the  earth,  there  are  some  nice, 
respectable  people,  and  some  good  Catho- 
lics among  them.  A  great  part  of  the 
miners  seem  to  be  men  who  have  been  run- 
ning away  from  civilization  as  it  advanced 
westward  in  the  States,  until  now  they  have 
no  farther  to  go,  and  so  have  to  stop  here. 
I  am  told  there  is  one  man,  who  although 
born  in  the  States,  has  never  seen  a  railroad, 
because  he  kept  moving  ahead  of  the  rail- 
roads until  he  got  here. 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  163 

*'I  have  had  the  consolation  of  bringing  a 
good  many  back  to  their  duties;  but  there 
are  many  more  who  call  themselves  Catho- 
lics, yet  practice  nothing  of  what  their  holy 
faith  requires  of  them;  and  a  greater  number 
who  have  lost  their  faith  entirely.  Pray  for 
them  that  they  may  not  die  in  so  wretched 
a  state.  One  of  the  last  mentioned  class 
committed  suicide  last  fall,  a  few  days  after 
I  had  been  urging  him  to  come  to  Mass  and 
to  make  his  confession.  .  .  . 

''Some  come  to  Mass  every  morning,  and  I 
try  to  have  as  many  communions  as  possi- 
ble on  the  first  Friday  of  each  month,  that 
the  Sacred  Heart  may  have  some  glory,  even 
in  this  frozen  region." 

To  his  youngest  brother  he  writes:  "  It  is 
life  in  the  Far  West,  and  I  think  a  little  dif- 
ferent from  the  ordinary  Tar  West'  of  the 
novels;  although  we  have  Indians,  bears, 
wolves,  moose,  deer,  etc.,  all  around  us;  and, 
as  a  rule,  log-cabins  for  houses.  Some  of 
these,  however,  really  deserve  the  name  of 
houses,  as  they  are  two  or  three  stories  high; 
while  even  some  one-story  cabins  are  as 
comfortable  as  one  could  wish,  and  it  is  hard 
to  realize  that  one  is  in  a  log-cabin,  when  it 
is  papered  and  furnished  with  carpets,  lace 
curtains,  pictures,  etc.  There  are  a  few  of 
that  kind,  but  they  are  the  exception,  and  are 
found  only  where  there  are  white  ladies,  the 


164  An  American  Missionary 

ordinary  miner's  cabin  being  a  rather  rough 
affair  but  generally  comfortable. 

"I  have  two  cabins,  or  rather,  one  with  two 
sections,  each  about  fourteen  feet  square. 
One  serves  for  chapel  and  the  other  for 
house.  The  latter  is  divided  by  a  partition 
into  two  rooms,  one  of  which  is  bedroom, 
kitchen,  and  dining-room,  and  the  other,  sit- 
ting-room and  reception-room.  I  keep  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  in  the  chapel,  which  has 
a  door  opening  into  my  sitting-room;  so  you 
see  how  happy  I  am  living  under  the  same 
roof  and,  I  might  say,  all  alone  with  our 
dear  Lord,  night  and  day. 

"  It  is  close  on  60°  below  zero  this  evening, 
but  I  am  comfortable.  ,We  are  having  a  very 
cold  winter  but  a  fine  one.  I  was  travelling 
all  last  month,  and  several  times  I  had  to  lie 
over  because  it  was  dangerous  to  be  out.  I 
remained  in  one  place  from  the  19th  to  the 
29th,  as  the  quicksilver  remained  frozen 
during  all  that  time,  which  means  that  it 
was  at  least  40""  below;  and  most  of  the  time 
it  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  70°  below. 

"There  are  many  poor  men  here  who 
have  only  the  clothing  they  brought  from 
the  States,  and  who  cannot  afford  to  buy 
more.  I  gave  the  coat  you  sent  me  to  one 
who  needed  it  very  much:  I  never  used  it  in 
winter,  as  it  was  too  light,  and  I  have  a  fur 
coat  which   is   much  better  for  the   severe 


Forty  Mile  Post  and   Circle    City  165 

weather,  but  it  was  very  useful  in  the  spring 
and  fall,  and  even  in  summer.  I  would  be 
thankful  for  another  of  the  same  kind;  but 
I  shall  not  suffer  for  want  of  it." 

Two  days  later,  he  writes  to  one  of  his 
sisters,  a  religious,  who  had  had  some  expe- 
rience in  the  Rocky  Mountain  region: — 

Forty  Mile,  N.  W.  T. 

Feb.  nth,  1896. 
You  may  have  a  better  idea  than  the  oth- 
ers, what  a  western  mining-camp  is  like;  but 
I  suspect  that  an  Alaskan  mining-camp  is 
different  from  what  you  have  seen.  There 
are  only  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  people 
living  here  now;  but  there  are  about  five 
hundred  in  the  neighborhood,  who  have  to 
come  here  for  their  provisions.  There  are 
two  trading  companies  with  large  stores,  a 
hardware  store,  a  barber-shop,  and  a  number 
of  saloons.  The  English  Government  has  a 
post  with  twenty  soldiers  or  police,  customs 
collectors,  etc.  The  officers  have  their  fam- 
ilies with  them  and  are  very  nice  people. 
They  all  belong  to  the  Church  of  England, 
but  are  very  kind  to  me,  and  have  invited 
me  to  dinner  several  times.  The  gentleman 
who  keeps  the  hardware  store  is  a  good 
Catholic.     He  and  his  wife  come  to  Mass 

every  morning Last  week,  they  gave 

me  a  nice  carpet  for  the  sanctuary.  .  .  . 


166  An  American  Missionary 

On  Jan.  8th  I  started  to  visit  the  miners 
living  on  Forty  Mile  Creek.  I  had  a  sleigh 
and  only  one  dog,  for  dogs  are  scarce  here 
and  sell  for  fifty  to  seventy-five  dollars 
apiece.  The  first  day,  I  made  twenty-five 
miles  and  stopped  at  night  with  an  old  man 
who  makes  a  good  living  by  cultivating  po- 
tatoes and  turnips,  which  he  sells  like  hot 
cakes  to  the  miners,  for  vegetables  are 
scarce.    He  is  not  a  Catholic. 

After  leaving  his  place  I  found  a  cabin 
about  every  five  miles,  and  the  inmates  all 
Catholics;  so  I  stayed  one  night  at  each 
house,  and  said  Mass  every  day.  Having 
travelled  thus  for  four  or  five  days,  I  came 
to  a  stretch  of  about  forty  miles,  through- 
out which  there  were  no  more  inhabited 
cabins ;  but  there  were  two  vacant  ones,  with 
stoves  in  them,  used  by  those  who  make  a 
business  of  hauling  provisions  for  the  min- 
ers. 

About  two  o'clock  on  the  i6th  of  January, 
I  started  in  company  with  one  of  those  team- 
sters to  go  to  the  first  of  the  vacant  cabins, 
distant  only  about  six  or  seven  miles  from 
where  we  were.  I  do  not  know  just  how 
cold  it  was;  but  the  quicksilver  was  frozen, 
so  it  was  at  least  forty  below  zero.  I  had 
never  been  over  that  road,  but  the  teamster 
told  me  to  go  ahead,  as  I  could  go  faster 
than  he  could  with  his  heavy  load,  and  so 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  167 

would  get  more  quickly  out  of  the  cold.  I 
did  so,  and  all  went  well  for  about  three 
miles,  when  I  came  to  a  place  where  the 
water  had  overflowed  the  ice.  Although 
the  surface  was  frozen,  the  new  ice  was  not 
strong  enough  to  bear  the  sleigh ;  it  broke, 
and  I  had  to  walk  in  the  water,  almost  up  to 
my  knees,  for  about  two  hundred  yards;  and, 
as  I  was  not  prepared  to  find  water,  my  boots 
were  not  suitable  and  my  feet  got  wet.  I  did 
not  know  how  far  I  was  from  the  cabin,  but 
thought  it  was  not  far;  so  I  pushed  on,  try- 
ing to  keep  my  feet  from  freezing  by  walk- 
ing as  fast  as  I  could.  But  the  sleigh  was 
made  much  heavier  by  the  ice  that  formed  on 
it  and  the  snow  that  stuck  to  it  after  it  had 
passed  through  the  water;  so  I  could  not  go 
as  fast  as  I  ought  to  have  gone,  and  I 
thought  I  would  never  get  to  the  cabin. 
About  two  hours  after  I  got  my  feet  wet,  I 
felt  so  tired  that  I  was  about  to  stop,  wrap 
myself  in  my  blanket,  and  wait  for  the  team- 
ster who  was  behind  me;  for  it  was  so  dark 
that  I  could  not  see  well,  and  I  was  afraid 
that  I  might  have  passed  the  cabin  without 
knowing  it.  But,  just  when  I  was  about  to 
stop,  my  dog  took  a  sudden  start;  so  I 
thought  perhaps  he  saw  the  cabin ;  and,  sure 
enough,  in  a  few  minutes  we  came  to  it. 

It  was  on  a  high  bank,  which  I  had  some 
difficulty  to  climb.    When  I  got  to  it,  I  found 


168  An  American  Missionary 

a  log-cabin  with  no  floor,  no  window,  and  no 
hinges  to  the  door;  but  there  was  a  stove, 
and  at  once  I  tried  to  start  a  fire,  after  mak- 
ing some  shavings  with  my  knife.  The 
wood  was  so  cold  I  could  not  succeed  with 
matches,  and  I  had  to  go  back  to  the  sleigh 
to  get  a  piece  of  candle;  but  my  gloves  also 
had  gotten  wet,  in  coming  through  the 
water,  and  when  I  took  them  off  to  make  the 
fire,  they  froze  so  hard  that  I  could  not  get 
them  on  again,  and  I  had  to  go  down  and 
get  up  the  bank  without  using  my  hands, 
which  was  not  easy,  especially  the  coming 

I  did  not  forget  that  it  was  the  thir- 
tieth anniversary  of  mother's  death,  and  I 
thought  that  it  might  be  God's  will  to  take 
me  on  the  same  day.  But,  with  some  diffl- 
culty,  I  got  up  again,  crawling  and  using  my 
elbows  instead  of  my  hands;  and,  with  the 
help  of  the  candle,  I  soon  got  a  fire  started. 
As  soon  as  I  started  to  thaw  the  ice  ofT  my 
boots,  I  felt  a  pain  shoot  through  my  right 
foot,  so  I  knew  that  it  must  be  frozen.  At 
once  I  went  out  and  filled  a  box,  that  I  had 
found  in  the  cabin,  with  snow,  then  took  off 
my  boot  and  found  that  all  the  front  part  of 
my  right  foot  was  frozen  as  hard  as  a  stone. 
...  I  could  not  make  a  mark  in  it  with  my 
thumb  nail.  So,  I  had  to  go  away  from  the 
fire  and  rub  the  foot  with  that  awfully  cold 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  169 

snow,  which  is  more  like  i^round  glass  than 
anything-  else,  until  I  got  the  hlood  back  to 
the  surface,  which  took  at  least  half  an  hour. 
After  that  I  held  my  foot  to  the  red-hot 
stove  for  about  one  hour  before  it  was  com- 
pletely thawed  out.  With  such  treatment, 
no  harm  follows  from  the  freezing;  but  if 
you  go  into  a  warm  room,  or  put  tlie  frozen 
part  to  the  fire  before  rubbing  with  snow  till 
it  becomes  red,  it  will  decay  at  once  and  you 
cannot  save  it.  It  is  the  first  time  I  have 
been  frozen;  but  I  have  doctored  others,  and 
I  knew  what  was  necessary,  and  so,  thank 
God,  I  escaped. 

Three  days  later  I  got  to  the  end  of  my 
journey,  about  one  hundred  miles  from  here. 
I  was  just  in  time,  for  that  very  evening  the 
most  severe  spell  we  have  had  began,  and 
for  ten  days  the  temperature  remained  be- 
tween sixty  and  seventy  below  zero.  I 
stopped  with  an  Irishman  and  his  wife  and 
was  very  comfortable.  I  said  Mass  every 
day  and  had  six  or  seven  present  each  time, 
for  there  were  other  Catholics  living  nearby; 
and  six  received  Holy  Communion. 

As  soon  as  the  quicksilver  thawed,  which 
showed  that  it  was  less  than  forty  below 
zero,  I  started  to  return,  stopping  to  see 
some  people  that  I  did  not  see  on  my  way  up. 
It  took  me  seven  days  to  come  back:  in  some 
places  it  was  very  hard  work  as  the  wnnd 


170  An  American  Missionary 

had  drifted  the  snow  and  covered  the  trail, 
making  it  difficult  to  push  the  sleigh,  and 
even  to  v^alk.  But  I  v^as  well  pleased  with 
my  trip;  and  it  is  a  great  consolation  to  be 
able  to  do  some  little  for  the  glory  of  the 
Sacred  Heart,  by  leading  these  sheep  to 
Him,  even  though  it  cost  some  labor  and 
suffering.  As  long  as  I  can  thus  do  some 
good,  and  have  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  I 
have  all  I  desire. 

So  you  see  I  am  happy.  Pray  for  me  that 
I  may  always  remain  faithful  to  the  great 
grace  of  my  vocation.  How  great  is  our 
debt  of  gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for  His 
goodness  in  calling  us  to  the  religious  life. 
The  older  I  get,  the  better  I  realize  the  great- 
ness of  this  favor,  and  the  obligation  we  are 
under  of  doing  all  we  can  for  the  glory  of 
our  Benefactor.  I  am  very  well  and  feel  as 
young  as  I  did  when  you  last  saw  me;  but, 
no  doubt,  time  is  doing  its  work  on  all  of  us, 
and  so  we  may  hope  soon  to  receive  the 
reward  of  our  poor  labors.  God  bless  you 
and  all  your  good  Sisters  in  religion! 
Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  incident  related  in  the  above  letter 
was  one  of  the  most  trying  in  Father  Judge's 
missionary  life.  We  can  imagine  what  were 
his  feeHngs  during  those  weary  hours  that 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  171 

passed  while  he  trudged  on  with  feet  be- 
numbed behind  the  slow-moving  sleigh, 
alone,  almost  in  the  dark,  uncertain  of  the 
way,  and  threatened  with  fatal  freezing.  No 
doubt  his  prayers  were  more  than  ever 
earnest,  and  his  confidence  in  God  unshaken; 
and  yet  the  accumulated  miseries  of  the  situ- 
ation must  have  been  a  sore  trial  for  even  his 
cheerful,  generous  spirit. 

Here  we  see  what  the  missionary  spirit 
enables  a  priest  to  do  for  God  and  the  souls 
of  men;  and  we  realize  also  that  although 
God  is  ready  to  aid  His  servant,  yet  He  ex- 
pects him  to  do,  on  his  part,  all  that  he  can. 

In  the  summer  of  1896  Father  Judge  made 
his  usual  annual  visit  to  Koserefsky  and  St. 
Michael.  From  the  following  letters  vve 
learn  something  of  the  events  of  that  trip 
down  the  Yukon,  and  of  his  work: — 

Holy  Cross  Mission,  Alaska, 

Dear  Sister:  ^ept.  8th,  1896. 

I  feel  ashamed  when  you  exag- 
gerate so  much  the  little  I  have  to  suffer  here 
for  our  dear  Lord.  I  mean  the  bodily  suffer- 
ings; for  I  am  sure  that,  if  as  great,  they  arc 
not  greater  than  those  you  have  passed 
through. 

Of  course  we  have  our  cross  here,  the 
same  cross  that  all  Religious  are  apt  to  have, 


172  An  American  Missionary 

and  that  makes  the  reHgious  Hfe  so  meri- 
torious ;  but,  as  long  as  I  have  so  many  holy 
souls  praying  for  me,  I  hope  to  be  able  to 
bear  it. 

I  left  Forty  Mile  on  the  last  day  of  May;  I 
have  been  to  the  coast  attending  to  the  sup- 
plies for  the  coming  year,  and  I  arrived  here 
only  a  fev^  days  ago.  During  all  this  time, 
although  I  seldom  missed  Mass,  I  have  not 
had  the  Blessed  Sacrament;  for  I  was  trav- 
elling half  the  time,  and  at  St.  Michael  we 
have  no  chapel.  I  am  now  waiting  for  the 
steamer  to  take  me  to  Circle  City,  where  I 
am  to  spend  the  coming  winter. 

Circle  City,  so  named  because  it  is  near 
the  Arctic  Circle,  is  a  large  mining-camp, 
about  tvN^o  hundred  miles  this  side  of  Forty 
Mile.  I  have  to  go  first  to  Forty  Mile  to  get 
what  things  I  left  there,  and  bring  them  to 
my  new  Mission,  and  begin  again.  This 
constant  moving  from  place  to  place  is  hard 
to  human  nature,  but  it  is  what  a  Jesuit  has 
to  be  readv  for.  I  hope  to  have  things  in 
better  condition  this  year  than  last.  I  have 
received  a  small  church-bell  and  an  organ, 
both  of  which  I  felt  the  want  of  very  much  at 
Forty  Mile. 

There  are  several  Catholic  ladies  at  Circle 
City,  so  I  may  hope  for  some  assistance  in 
keeping  the  church  nice.  .  .  . 

It  would  have  made  you  happy  to  see  me 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  173 

when  I  opened  the  ])oxes  you  sent;  I  was 
very  happy  to  see  so  many  things  for  the 
altar.  I  had  no  altar-laces  last  year,  hut 
now  I  am  rich. 

The  breaking  of  the  ice  at  Forty  Mile,  this 
year,  was  a  grand  sight.  It  happened  on  the 
17th  of  May,  and  on  the  31st  I  started  to 
come  down  on  a  little  steamer  called  the 
Beaver. 

We  arrived  at  Holy  Cross  Mission  on  the 
6th  of  June.  As  we  expected  to  fmd  at  St. 
Michael  a  new  boiler  for  our  steamer,  we 
took  out  the  old  one;  and,  with  two  Brothers 
and  some  Indians,  I  started  to  drift  the  boat 
down  to  St.  Michael,  which  is  four  hundred 
miles  from  Holy  Cross.  If  we  had  had  good 
weather,  it  would  not  have  been  so  very  diffi- 
cult a  task ;  but  the  weather  was  very  stormy 
nearl}^  the  whole  time,  so  that  we  were  eigh- 
teen days  on  the  way,  instead  of  being  about 
ten,  as  I  had  hoped.  It  was  hard  work,  and 
many  times  we  were  in  great  danger;  so 
much  so,  that  I  made  a  vow  to  say  five 
Masses  and  fast  on  five  Fridays  in  honor  of 
the  Sacred  Heart,  if  we  got  down  safely.  I 
need  hardly  tell  you  that  my  confidence  was 
not  in  vain ;  all  ended  well,  and  we  arrived 
safely  at  St.  Michael  on  the  4th  of  July. 

These  summer  months  spent,  in  great 
part,  in  going  to  the  coast  for  supplies,  are 
generally  troublesome  and  bring  more  dis- 


174  An  American  Missionary 

tractions  than  all  the  rest  of  the  year.  I 
expect  that  there  will  be  at  least  a  thousand 
white  people  at  Circle  City  this  winter,  and 
I  know  there  will  be  many  Catholics  among" 
them ;  so,  I  shall  very  likely  have  a  pleasant 
winter,  and  with  the  help  of  your  good  pray- 
ers, shall  be  able  to  do  something  for  the 
greater  glory  of  God.  I  am  looking  every 
day  for  the  steamer  that  is  to  take  me  up. 
It  is  getting  very  late  in  the  year,  and  there 
is  some  danger  of  the  water  being  too  low 
for  the  boat  to  pass  some  shallow  places.  If 
I  can  arrange  things  as  I  hope  to  when  I  get 
up  to  Circle  City,  I  shall  write  to  the  Sisters 
of  Providence  to  come  next  spring  to  open 
a  hospital  there.  They  are  anxious  to  come, 
and  are  only  waiting  for  the  word .... 

May  God  bless  you  and  all  your  good  Sis- 
ters in  religion  for  your  great  goodness  to 

"^e-  Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

A  few  days  later,  in  writing  to  another  of 
his  sisters,  who  had  celebrated  the  Silver 
Jubilee  of  her  religious  profession,  he  mani- 
fests his  grateful  appreciation  of  the  grace 
of  a  religious  vocation. 

Holy  Cross  Mission,  Alaska, 
Dear  Sister:  Sept.  I2th,  1896. 

Among  all  the  blessings  that  have  glad- 
dened my  heart  and  spread  sunshine  over 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  175 

my  life,  there  is  none  that  I  prize  more 
higlily,  or  for  which  I  am  more  grateful  to 
God,  than  the  rehgious  vocation  of  my  sis- 
ters. And  with  good  reason  do  I  feel  thus; 
for  1  cannot  fail  to  see  how  manv  blessing's 
your  prayers  and  those  of  your  Communi- 
ties, have  brought  down  upon  the  family, 
and  on  myself  in  particular.  Besides,  my 
great  love  for  you  would  not  be  satisfied  to 
see  you  have  any  other  spouse  than  the  Di- 
vine Lamb  Himself.  On  that  account,  as 
long  as  our  ''little  lamb"  was  still  exposed 
to  the  dangers  of  the  world,  I  never  ceased 
to  implore  for  her  the  health  necessary  to 
follow  what  I  was  convinced  was  her  voca- 
tion; and  I  cannot  tell  you  the  joy  that  filled 
my  heart  when,  after  so  long  a  delay,  she  too, 
was  safe  within  the  cloister.  The  great 
grace  of  perseverance  with  which  God,  in 
His  goodness,  has  blessed  you  all,  is  no  less 
a  subject  of  joy  and  gratitude,  than  was  your 
first  call.  Therefore,  although  late,  I  con- 
gratulate you  most  heartily  on  the  happy 
event  of  your  Jubilee,  and  I  hope  you  have 
gained  from  its  celebration  new  strength  to 
push  on  in  the  good  fight,  striving  to  become 
ever  more  and  more  pleasing  in  the  sight  of 
your  heavenl}^  Spouse,  who  has  chosen  you 
out  of  the  world,  that  He  may  have  your 
heart  all  to  Himself  and  may  adorn  it  with 
His  choicest  gifts. 


176  An  American  Missionary 

Each  year  when  your  letters  come  to  glad- 
den my  heart  and  fill  it  with  new  courage,  I 
realize  anew  the  greatness  of  the  happiness 
I  enjoy  in  having  three  sisters  in  religion. 
God  grant  that  helped  by  one  another's 
prayers  and  examples,  we  may  all  persevere 
to  the  end,  fulfilling  perfectly  the  holy  will 
of  God  in  all  things.  .  .  . 

Now  you  must  not  think  that  our  life  up 
here  is  so  terrible ;  for,  although  the  winter  is 
cold,  we  are  prepared  for  it,  and  do  not  suffer 
much  from  that  source;  and,  as  for  provi- 
sions, we  are  much  better  off  than  many 
other  Missions.  We  have  our  crosses  and 
heavy  crosses  too,  but  they  are  such  as  God 
often  sends  even  in  more  civilized  places. 
Bodily  sufferings  cannot  be  compared  to 
mental  sufferings;  and,  as  'A  Kempis  tells  us, 
sometimes  God  sends  us  the  cross,  and  some- 
times our  neighbor  will  afflict  us,  and  often 
we  are  a  cross  to  ourselves.  Crosses  of  this 
kind  you  no  doubt  share  with  us,  although  it 
is  true  that  small  Missions  are  more  exposed 
to  them,  than  more  regular  communities.  I 
do  not  ask  you  to  pray  that  we  may  have  no 
crosses,  but  I  do  ask  you  to  pray  in  a  special 
manner  this  year  for  this  poor  Mission;  for 
very  great  dangers  threaten  us,  which  can  be 
prevented  only  by  a  special  protection  of 
Almighty  God. 

The  trip  from  Holy  Cross  to  St.  Alichael, 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  177 

on  our  own  boat,  was  very  hard  and  dan- 
gerous this  year,  and  I  felt  ten  years  older 
when  I  got  back  a  week  ago;  but  now,  after 
a  week  of  quiet  and  rest,  communing  with 
loved  ones  by  letter,  reading,  and  writing,  I 
begin  to  feel  young  again.  Age  begins  to 
show  its  effects  at  times,  especially  in  my 
back,  but  only  at  times,  and  not  sufficiently 
to  prevent  me  from  performing  all  my  duties. 
Generally  I  am  as  active  and  lively  as  ever. 

I  am  sorry  that  Father  Barnum  told  you 
I  was  so  thin ;  for  it  caused  Sister  M.  to  make 
two  beautiful  surplices,  that  she  had  made 
for  me,  so  small  that  I  cannot  wear  them. 
When  I  read  your  letter  I  had  to  look  in  the 
glass  to  see  if  I  were  really  so  thin,  for  I  was 

not  aware  of  it so  you  see  there  is  a 

mistake   somewhere 

I  sometimes  feel  that  I  would  like  to  have 
some  time  to  prepare  myself  for  death ;  but, 
when  I  remember  that  our  Lord  died  on  the 
cross,  I  see  it  is  better  to  stand  in  the  fight  to 
the  end,  trusting  to  Him  to  supply  for  all 
defects. 

Good  by!  May  God  bless  you  and  your 
good  Sisters.  Your  loving  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  next  letter  gives  the  first  news  of  an 
event,  which  was  to  prove  of  supreme  impor- 
tance to  him  —  the  discovery  of  the  Klon- 


178  An  American  Missionary 

dike  gold-fields.  This  letter  announced  the 
fact  of  the  discovery  some  months  before  it 
was  generally  known. 

Forty  Mile  N.  W.  T. 
Dear  Brother:  ^^^'  27th,  1896. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  left  you  without  a  letter 
the  past  summer.  I  was  hoping  to  get  yours 
before  it  would  be  too  late,  but  it  did  not 
reach  me  until  Oct.  9th,  because  it  was  put 
into  the  mail-bag  for  Forty  Mile,  and  I  was 
down  the  river  all  the  summer,  returning 
here  Oct.  6th.  But  I  assure  you  it  was  no 
less  welcome  for  being  late.  It  came  like  a 
ray  of  Easter  sunshine,  just  when  old  Winter 
was  spreading  his  mantle  over  us  for  another 
eight  months.  I  thank  you  very  much  for 
all  the  family  news,  the  good  wishes,  prayers 
and  kind  thoughts,  which  it  brought  me; 
all  which  I  shall  do  my  best  to  repay  through 
the  Sacred  Heart. 

I  have  not  seen  Father  Barnum  since  his 
return,  although  he  staid  in  my  cabin  here 
two  weeks,  while  I  was  away;  but  we  passed 
on  the  lower  river  without  seeing  each  other. 

You  may  be  surprised  to  see  this  dated 
from  Forty  Mile,  after  my  telling  you  and  all 
the  others  that  I  would  be  in  Circle  City  this 
winter.  The  proverb,  "  Man  proposes,  but 
God   disposes,"   is   often   verified   here.      In 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  179 

fact,  I  was  sent  to  Circle  City,  and  I  actually 
shipped  to  that  place  all  my  supplies  for  the 
year,  together  with  all  the  presents  1  had 
received,  and  an  organ  and  a  church-bell; 
and  I  came  here  only  to  get  my  church- 
goods,  etc.,  when  by  an  unusually  early  clos- 
ing of  the  river,  I  was  forced  to  remain  for 
the  winter. 

It  was  very  providential;  for,  after  I  left 
here  in  the  summer,  gold  was  found  on  a 
creek  fifty  miles  up  the  river,  and  later  dis- 
coveries show  the  region  to  be  one  of  the 
richest  and  most  extensive  gold-fields  ever 
known.  All  that  they  have  had  here  so  far 
is  nothing  compared  to  it.  Each  man  is 
allowed  five  hundred  feet,  and  some  of  the 
claims  are  so  rich  that  the  owner  of  one  may 
take  five  or  six  millions  out  of  that  little  piece 
of  ground,  some  already  having  had  as  high 
as  a  hundred  dollars  in  a  shovelful  of  dirt. 

The  excitement  is  very  high  here  now;  and 
when  the  news  gets  outside,  no  doubt  there 
will  be  a  great  rush  for  these  parts. 

They  have  started  on  the  Yukon,  at  the 
mouth  of  the  principal  creek,  a  town  to  be 
called  Dawson  City,  and  lots  there  50x100 
feet  are  selling  as  high  as  a  thousand  dollars 
already. 

I  have  secured  three  acres  as  a  site  for  a 
church  and  a  hospital,  and  I  expect  Sisters  to 
come  up  next  spring  to  take  charge  of  the 


180  An  American  Missionary 

latter.  The  new  settlement  will  be  by  far 
the  largest  place  on  the  Yukon,  and  I  believe 
it  will  be  a  place  of  consequence  for  a  good 
many  years,  as  the  district  where  the  gold  is 
being  found  is  very  large.  Men  are  coming 
from  Circle  City  every  day,  and  it  is  likely 
there  will  be  a  general  stampede  from  that 
place  in  the  spring. 

I  was  away  for  a  month  before  Christmas, 
visiting  the  miners  on  two  of  the  old  creeks. 
I  have  not  been  to  the  new  diggings  yet,  but 
I  expect  to  go  there  in  a  month  or  so  when 
the  days  get  longer.  We  are  having  a  mild 
winter  this  year,  at  least  so  far,  the  coldest 
having  been  forty-two  below  zero,  against 
sixty  or  seventy  last  year. 

We  had  one  death  a  few  weeks  ago,  that  of 
a  Canadian,  who  came  last  spring  looking 
for  gold.  Happily  I  was  here  to  give  him  the 
sacraments  and  say  Mass  for  his  soul.  God 
grant  that  he  may  have  found  the  one  thing 
necessary,  which  is  above  all  the  gold  and 
treasures  of  this  world. 

I  am  enjoying  my  two  cabins  again  this 
year.  My  little  chapel  is  very  devotional  in 
its  Christmas  garb.  On  Christmas  day  I 
began  my  Masses  at  7  o'clock,  when  I  said 
two,  and  the  third  I  said  at  10.30,  which  was 
followed  by  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sac- 
rament.    I  thought  of  you  all  on  that  day, 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  181 

and  more  than  once  imagined  what  you  were 
doing,  making  allowance  for  the  difference 
of  time. 

The  Epiphany,  Jan.  6th. 

Before  I  forget  it,  I  must  wish  you  a  happy 
New  Year!  How  fast  the  years  are  slipping 
by!  I  can  remember  the  change  from  '56  to 
'57,  and  now  we  come  to  '97.  You  say  you 
are  afraid  the  young  folks  will  begin  to  class 
you  among  the  old  people:  you  need  not  be 
surprised  if  they  do,  for  here  they  call  me 
"  the  old  man." 

To-day  we  saw  the  sun  for  the  first  time 
since  the  8th  of  December.  It  goes  on  a  pic- 
nic every  winter  about  that  time,  and  does 
not  show  its  face  for  some  thirty  days.  I 
assure  you  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to  see  it  peep 
over  the  mountains  when  it  returns .... 

I  am  as  well  and  happy  as  ever,  although 
at  times  I  begin  to  find  that  old  bones  will 
not  stand  as  much  as  young  ones.     In  the 
union  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  I  am  as  ever, 
Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

About  a  month  later,  Feb.  ist,  he  wrote: 
"In  this  little  world  of  ours — for  we  are  as 
much  alone  as  if  we  were  on  a  globe  of  our 
own  —  there  is  very  little  news  to  speak  or 
write  about.    The  only  thing  spoken  of  here 


182  An  American  Missionary 

is  the  '  prospects  '  from  the  different  creeks 
in  the  new  gold  district,  which  promises  to 
surpass  anything  ever  known  before.  One 
would  think  that  gold  is  the  one  thing  neces- 
sary for  happiness  in  time  and  eternity,  to 
see  the  way  in  w^hich  men  seek  it  even  in 
these  frozen  regions,  and  how  they  are 
ready  to  sacrifice  soul  and  body  to  get  it. 
O,  how  terrible  will  be  their  disappointment 
at  the  hour  of  death,  when  they  will  reaHze 
the  vanity  of  all  they  have  loved  so  much. 
Experience  shows  that  most  of  those  who 
make  money  in  mining,  lose  it  as  fast  as  they 
make  it.  However,  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to 
say  that  there  are  here  a  good  number  of 
sober,  industrious  Catholics,  who,  I  hope, 
will  make  a  good  use  of  all  they  get.  I  am 
preparing  to  build  a  church,  a  house,  and  a 
hospital  at  Dawson  City,  which  will  be  the 
town  of  the  new  mining  region." 

So,  during  the  winter  of  '96-^97,  the  pastor 
of  Forty  Mile  Post  while  attending  to  his 
people  at  home  or  travelling  along  the  neigh- 
boring creeks,  listened  to  the  stories  of  the 
wonderful  discovery  of  gold  in  the  Klondike 
region.  He  foresaw  the  stampede  that  would 
take  place  from  the  older  mining  centres,  and 
the  influx  from  the  States,  when  the  news 
would  have  found  its  w^ay  to  the  outer  world. 
He  did  not  covet  the  precious  metal  for 
which,  as  he  said,  some  men  were  willing  to 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  183 

risk  soul  and  body;  but  he  knew  that  the 
men  around  him,  and  many  more  would  go 
to  the  new  fields,  and  if  so,  he  should  go  with 
them:  where  the  flock  is,  there  should  the 
shepherd  be. 

Most  of  his  people,  no  doubt,  left  Forty 
Mile  before  he  did;  but  he  must  have  early 
set  himself  to  study  out  the  problems  of  the 
new  situation,  while  waiting  for  the  days  to 
get  longer. 

Meanwhile,  what  was  going  on  up  on  the 
Klondike  creek?  The  question  is  best  an- 
swered by  the  following  quotations  from 
the  special  sixteen  page  Klondike  number 
of  the  New  York  World  of  August  22nd, 
1897:—"  On  Sept.  6th  (1896)  Surveyor  Ogil- 
vie  wrote:  '  It  is  only  two  weeks  since  it  (the 
Klondike  discovery)  was  known,  and  already 
about  two  hundred  claims  have  been  staked 
on  it.  The  Klondike  and  its  branches  are 
good  for  from  three  to  four  hundred 
claims.' '' 

"On  November  6th,  Mr.  Ogilvie  wrote: 
'  One  man  showed  me  $22.75  that  he  took  out 
in  a  few  hours  on  Hunker  Creek  '  .  .  .  .On 
this  date  Mr.  Ogilvie  thought  he  saw  1000 
claims  in  sight,  which  would  require  3,000 
men  to  work  them,  and  that  would  bring  a 
population  of  10,000  souls  in  '  a  year  or  two.' 
He  had  to  better  this  estimate  later  on." 

"  Naturally  the  new  region,  draining  four 


184  An  American  Missionary 

or  five  old  ones  of  their  inhabitants,  required 
a  town,  and  one  was  built  almost  like  magic. 
Joseph  Ladue  says : '  Dawson  City  is  now  the 
most  important  point  in  the  new  mining  re- 
gion. Its  population  in  June  1897  exceeded 
4,000  ....  I  commenced  erecting  the  first 
house  in  that  region  on  September  ist,  1896. 
Within  six  months  from  that  date  there  were 
over  five  hundred  houses  erected,  which  in- 
clude stores,  supply-stations,  hotels,  restau- 
rants, saloons,  and  residences.'  " 

At  length,  about  the  middle  of  March, 
1897,  Father  Judge  packed  his  sled  and  with 
the  aid  of  only  one  dog,  started  for  the  Klon- 
dike. There  were  fifty  miles  to  make,  most 
likely  upon  the  still  frozen  Yukon,  and  the 
trip  must  have  taken  two  da3^s.  This  first 
visit  of  the  Missionary  to  the  scene  of  his  fu- 
ture labors,  was  thus  touchingly  depicted  in 
the  ''  Klondike  Nugget,"  two  days  after  his 
death:  ''The  stampeders  from  Forty  Mile 
to  the  Klondike  in  the  winter  of  '96-'97  re- 
member overtaking  a  solitary  and  feeble  old 
man  with  a  single  sled-rope  over  his  shoul- 
ders, and  a  single  dog  helping  the  load  along. 
This  was  the  Father  hastening  to  a  field 
where  he  was  conscious  his  ministering  serv- 
ices were  most  required.  Arrived  in  Dawson 
he  lost  no  time  in  securing  the  ground  on 
which  St.  Mary's  hospital  now  stands. 
Spreading  his  tents,  he  found  that  his  serv- 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  185 

ices,  as  one  experienced  in  Arctic  maladies 
and  frostbites,  were  instantly  in  demand. 
He  grasped  the  situation  at  once,  saw  that 
a  hugh  task  was  laid  out  for  him  here,  and 
hastened  back  to  Forty  Mile  for  more  med- 
icine, more  suppHes,  and  the  necessary  equip- 
ment for  the  care  of  the  sick." 

Father  Judge  spent  about  one  month  at 
Dawson,  started  men  to  work  getting  logs 
from  the  upper  river,  and  cleared  the  ground 
for  St.  Mary's  Hospital,  before  returning  for 
supplies  to  Forty  Mile.  From  the  latter 
place  he  wrote : — 

Forty  Mile,  N.  W.  T. 
Dear  Brother:  May  2nd,  1897. 

On  Palm  Sunday  I  received  your  Christ- 
mas Card,  and  yesterday  the  letter  that  you 
began  January  loth.  .  .  .  You  see  I  re- 
ceived it  on  our  reunion  day,  which  made  it 
all  the  more  enjoyable;  and  on  the  first  day 
of  our  Blessed  Mother's  month.  .  .  .  May 
God  continue  to  bless  you  all,  as  I  am  sure 
He  will,  if  you  remain  faithful  to  Him.  O, 
how  foolish  are  all  those  w^ho  neglect  their 
religious  duties,  which  alone  can  bring  them 
that  peace  and  happiness  for  which  the 
heart  of  man  is  ever  yearning !  If  they  would 
only  listen  to  the  voice  of  reason,  they  would 
soon  perceive  that  there  is  nothing  in  this 


186  An  American  Missionary 

world  capable  of  satisfying  the  craving  of 
their  hearts  for  knowledge  and  happiness; 
and  so  they  would  be  led  to  seek  them  above, 
knowing  that  that  craving  was  not  given 
never  to  be  satisfied. 

From  the  middle  of  March  to  Easter 
(April  1 8th)  I  was  up  at  the  new  gold-dig- 
gings. There  are  two  creeks  very  rich. 
Some  have  sold  their  claims  as  high  as  fifty 
thousand  dollars  apiece,  that  is  five  hundred 
feet  on  the  creek,  which  is  what  each  man 
is  allowed  to  take.  I  myself  saw  one  hundred 
and  twenty-three  dollars'  worth  of  gold  in 
one  shovelful  of  dirt.  Some  expect  to  take 
out  millions,  if  it  holds  out  as  it  promises. 
But  there  are  far  more  men  here  than  there 
are  good  claims  for.  Those  who  are  working 
for  wages  have  been  making  fifteen  dollars 
a  day  all  the  winter,  which  is  not  bad  for  hard 
times;  but  if,  as  we  suppose,  a  great  many 
men  come  in  when  the  river  opens,  wages 
will  very  likely  fall  to  ten  dollars  and  may- 
be to  six,  as  they  were  before  the  deposits  on 
these  creeks  were  found. 

I  shall  not  try  to  settle  for  you  the  geo- 
graphical position  of  Circle  City,  as  there  is 
not  much  left  of  it  since  the  news  of  the 
Klondike  diggings  reached  there.  Dawson 
City  is  the  centre  of  attraction  now,  and 
probably  will  be  for  some  years.  .  .  . 

I  have  secured  some  cfround  there,  and  I 


Forty  Mile  Post  and    Circle    City  187 

am  prepariiii;-  to  ])uild  a  church  and  a  hospi- 
tal, having  sent  for  the  Sisters  to  manage  the 
latter.  I  shall  go  there  to  see  to  the  building 
as  soon  as  the  river  opens,  which  v^ill  be  in 
tv^o  or  three  weeks.  I  do  not  expect  to  ^o 
down  to  the  coast  this  summer,  so  your 
spring  letters  will  not  reach  me  as  soon  as 
usual,  and  they  may  not  be  answered  so  soon. 

Although  I  am  constantly  going  farther 
away  from  you,  that  is  if  we  count  from  the 
sea;  in  reality  I  am  coming  nearer  and 
nearer,  not  only  in  point  of  miles,  but  espe- 
cially as  regards  communication.  Hereafter, 
direct  all  vour  letters  to  Dawson  Citv,  N. 
W.  T.         ' 

When  you  speak  of  the  happiness  you  ex- 
perience in  being  able  to  attend  services  at 
St.  Ignatius',  I  envy  you  a  little;  for,  I  assure 
you,  there  are  no  days  in  my  life  that  I  can 
look  back  upon  with  more  real  pleasure,  than 
I  do  upon  those  which  I  spent  around  that 
dear  spot.  It  is  a  great  sacrifice  for  me  to 
be  deprived  of  all  the  surroundings  that  lend 
solemnity  to  the  Divine  Service  in  civiliza- 
tion ;  but,  it  is  a  great  consolation  to  have  our 
dear  Lord  Himself  so  near  to  me  at  all  times; 
and  it  gives  me  pleasure  to  honor  Him  here, 
where  there  are  so  few  who  know  Him,  or 
care  for  Him  in  the  sweet  Sacrament  of  His 
love. 

Give  my  kindest  regards  to  all  the  family 


188  An  American  Missionary 

and  tell  them  that  even  if  I  do  not  write  to 
them  or  mention  them  in  my  letters,  at  least 
they  all  find  a  place  in  my  heart,  and  are 
never  forgotten  in  my  Holy  Sacrifices  and 
prayers. 

In  the  union  of  the  Sacred  Heart, 

Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  RUSH  TO  THE  KLONDIKE. 

"  Gold,  goM,  gold,  gold  ! 
Bright  and  yellow  and  hard  and  cold. 
Molten,   graven,    hammered   and    rolled ; 
Heavy  to  get  and  light  to  hold : 
Hoarded,    bartered,    bought    and    sold ; 
Spurned  by  the  young,  but  hugged  by  the  old 
To  the  very  verge  of  the  churchyard  mold; 
Price  of  many  a  crime  untold ; 
Gold,  gold,  gold,  gold ! 
Good    or    bad    a    thousandfold  !"  — Hood. 

{T  would  be  beyond  the  scope  of  this  work 
to  give  a  full  account  of  the  Klondike 
gold-fields,  and  of  the  rush  that  followed 
the  unearthing  of  their  rich  deposits.  How- 
ever, for  the  sake  of  those  who  may  be  igno- 
rant of  the  facts  and  to  throw  light  on  the 
work  of  the  Missionary  in  Dawson,  we  must 
say  something  of  the  general  excitement  oc- 
casioned by  the  announcement  of  the  dis- 
covery. 

Although  the  new  gold-fields  were  discov- 
ered in  August,  1896,  such  were  the  difificul- 
ties  of  communication  between  that  icy  re- 
gion and  the  outer  world,  that  it  was  not 
until   the  early   summer  of   1897,   that   the 

189 


190  An  American  Missionary 

newspapers  startled  the  United  States  by  the 
story  of  the  fabulous  richness  of  the  Klon- 
dike. By  the  end  of  July,  however,  the  whole 
country  was  in  a  ferment  of  excitement. 
From  New  York  to  San  Francisco,  the  Klon- 
dike and  how  to  get  there,  was  all  that  men 
talked  of.  The  papers  teemed  with  facts,  and 
figures,  and  illustrations,  that  stimulated  the 
ardor  of  all  who  had  the  courage  and  the 
strength  to  make  the  venture.  We  give  some 
specimens  of  these  announcements: — 

"  Seattle,  Wash.  July  19th.  The  amount 
of  treasure  brought  down  from  the  famed 
Klondike  by  the  steamer  Portland,  is  now 
placed  at  $1,500,000,  and  there  is  good  reason 
to  believe  that  the  sum  was  nearer  $2,000,- 
000." 

''  Helena,  Montana,  July  19th.  Over 
$200,000  in  gold  from  the  Alaska  diggings 
was  received  at  the  United  States  Assay 
Office  to-day."  From  the  New  York  World: 
"  The  U.  S.  Mint  authorities  estimate  the 
amount  of  gold  that  has  so  far  reached  this 
country  from  the  Klondike,  at  about  four 
tons,  worth  something  over  $2,000,000.*' 
The  Alaska  Mining  Record  of  Juneau, 
quoted  by  the  World,  said:  ''The  excite- 
ment is  spreading,  and  by  the  time  this  is  be- 
fore our  readers,  the  great  army  of  gold-seek- 
ers will  have  fairly  started  northward 

There  remains  scarcely  a  man  in  Juneau  or 


The  Rush  to  the  Klondike  191 

its  neighboriiii^  towns  or  mining-camps,  not 
tied  down  by  circumstances,  but  will  start 
within  the  next  month,  or  in  the  early  spring. 
Not  only  has  the  fever  reached  the  ambitious 
young  men,  but  the  sturdy  old-timer,  who 
packed  his  blankets  to  the  Frazer  and  the 
Cassair  country  ....  is  himself  as  eager 
for  the  hardships  and  wealth  of  the  Yukon." 

"  New  York,  July  19th.  New  York  has 
been  touched  by  the  Alaskan  gold  fever. 
The  past  twenty-four  hours  have  seen  come 
to  the  front  2,000  Argonauts,  who  will  be  on 
the  way  to  the  Klondike  region  as  soon  as 
arrangements  can  be  made  for  transporta- 
tion. Some  notion  of  how  the  craze  is 
spreading  may  be  had  from  the  fact  that 
within  forty-eight  hours,  an  advertisement 
calling  for  those  who  desired  to  join  an  expe- 
dition to  Alaska  and  who  had  from  $500  to 
$2,000  to  invest,  was  answered  by  more  than 
twelve  hundred  applicants." 

''  San  Diego,  California,  July  19th.  An  in- 
teresting letter,  telling  of  the  recent  trip  of 
the  steamer  Excelsior,  to  Alaska,  has  been 
written  by  Captain  J.  F.  Higgins,  of  the 
steamer,  to  a  friend  in  this  city.  He  says: 
'  As  each  claim  is  five  hundred  feet  along  the 
creek-bed,  there  is  half  a  million  to  the  claim. 
....  One  of  our  passengers,  who  is  taking 
$1,000  with  him,  has  worked  100  feet  of  his 
ground,  and  he  refused  $200,000  for  the  re- 


192  An  American  Missionary 

mainder.  He  confidently  expects  to  clean  up 
$400,000  and  more.  He  has  in  a  bottle  $212 
taken  from  one  pan  of  dirt.  His  pay-dirt, 
while  being  washed,  averaged  $250  an  hour 
to  each  man  shovehng  in.  Two  others  of 
our  miners  who  worked  their  own  claims, 
cleaned  up  $6,000  from  the  day's  washings." 

Such  statements  caused  an  excitement 
akin  to  that  which  reigned  at  the  time  of  the 
discovery  of  the  California  gold-fields,  in 
the  summer  of  1848.  Of  that  event  an  his- 
torian says :  ''  An  excitement  which  tran- 
scends description  seized  on  the  inhabitants; 
forsaking  their  farms  and  shutting  up  their 
houses,  they  fiock  to  the  fortunate  spot.  The 
news  soon  reached  the  Atlantic  States.  Hun- 
dreds at  once  set  out  for  the  land  of  gold; 
and  not  from  the  United  States  only,  but 
from  all  parts  of  Europe,  and  even  from  far 
distant  China,  did  the  tide  of  immigration 
flow,  men  of  every  grade  in  society  giving 
themselves  up  to  its  current."* 

This  state  of  the  public  mind  in  1848 
would  likely  have  had  its  parallel  in  1898, 
had  not  a  counter-irritant  been  applied  in 
the  shape  of  the  war  with  Spain.  That  ab- 
sorbing topic  called  ofT,  to  a  great  extent, 
the  attention  of  the  people  of  the  United 
States  from  the  glittering  prospects  held  out 
by  the  Klondike  placers.    Had  it  not  been  for 

*Hist.  of  U.  S.,  Quackenbos,  p.  443. 


The  Rush  to  the  Klondike  193 

this  check,  there  would  doubtless  have  been 
a  tremendous  and  disastrous  rush  to  the  Yu- 
kon. 

As  it  was,  the  more  ardent  and  venture- 
some of  the  gold-seekers  determined  to 
start  without  delay,  and  a  vanguard  of  one 
hundred  men  left  Seattle  on  July  19th,  1897. 
But  prudence  is  the  better  part  of  valor;  and 
mindful  of  this  principle,  the  majority  waited 
for  the  spring  of  1898;  for  winter  travel  over 
the  ice-clad  mountains  and  snow-covered 
trail  between  Dyea  and  Dawson  was,  at  that 
time,  well-nigh  impossible. 

When  spring  came,  there  poured  into 
Juneau,  Skagway,  and  Dyea,  a  constant 
stream  of  adventurers,  determined  to  reach 
the  wished-for  goal  by  way  of  the  Chilkoot 
Pass  and  the  rivers  and  lakes  that  lead  to  the 
Yukon,  a  laborious  journey  of  over  five  hun- 
dred miles.  Even  at  that  season,  the  aspect 
of  the  country  was  still  that  of  mid-winter 
in  the  latitude  of  Philadelphia  or  Baltimore. 
The  whole  surface  of  the  region  was  still  a 
magnificent  expanse  of  white,  except  where 
the  rocky  hills  peered  through  the  snowy 
covering.  The  dark  forms  of  the  would-be 
miners  with  their  luggage  stood  out  in  sharp 
contrast  to  the  spotless  background;  so  that 
the  long  line  of  men,  as  they  trudged  in  sin- 
gle file  along  the  trail  or  through  the  passes. 


194  An  American  Missionary 

looked  at  a  distance  like  a  train  of  creeping 
blackness  upon  a  white  surface. 

With  heroic  courage  the  eager  army  of 
fortune-hunters  pushed  on,  resolved  to  sur- 
mount every  obstacle  that  lay  in  their  path. 
On  April  3rd  about  seventy  persons  per- 
ished in  a  snow-slide.  Nevertheless,  every 
day  for  three  months,  an  unbroken  line  of 
pack-laden  men  pursued  the  rugged  trail. 
Treading  in  one  another's  footsteps  the 
hopeful  gold-seekers  pressed  on ;  but  when  a 
resting-place  was  reached,  as  at  the  summit 
of  the  Chilkoot  Pass,  men  and  dogs,  sleds 
and  packs,  bags  and  bundles,  were  scattered 
about  in  the  snow  and  a  scene  of  wintry  con- 
fusion resulted,  that  might  remind  one  of 
the  flight  of  Napoleon's  army  from  Mos- 
cow. Many  perished  in  the  effort,  but  in 
this  and  the  following  year,  a  sufficient  num- 
ber succeeded  in  reaching  the  site  of  Dawson 
City,  to  make  it  "  the  greatest  mining-camp 
the  world  has  even  seen,"  and  later,  a  city  of 
15,000  inhabitants. 

The  reader  will  be  pleased  to  hear  the 
story  of  one  of  those  pioneers,  a  friend  of 
Fr.  Judge.  "  The  party  with  whom  I  trav- 
elled," writes  C.  H.  Higgins,  ''  left  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  on  February  8th,  1898,  and  arrived  at 
Tacoma,  Washington,  February  13th  We 
bought  our  outfits,  and  while  thus  engaged 
we  were  startled  by  news   of  the  blowing 


The  Rush  to  the  Klondike  195 

up  of  the  U.  S.  steamer,  Maine.  This  caused 
great  excitement,  and  many  returned  to  go 
to  the  war.  We  sailed  from  Tacoma  on  Feb- 
ruary 23rd,  arriving  at  Dyea,  February  28th. 
We  were  advised  by  many  not  to  go  on,  but, 
having  bought  outfits  at  considerable  ex- 
pense, about  half  the  party  took  courage  to 
defy  Chilkoot's  heights  and  see  the  gold- 
fields  over  which  the  entire  world  was 
aroused.  We  stayed  at  Sheep  Camp  the 
night  of  March  3rd,  1898,  and  on  arriving  at 
the  top  of  Chilkoot  Pass  we  found  a  fierce 
snowstorm  in  progress.  The  storm  contin- 
ued for  two  days.  We  slept  in  a  tent  on  the 
summit  of  the  Pass  during  the  nights  of  the 
4th  and  5th  of  March,  started  for  Lake  Lin- 
deman  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  and  pulled 
our  goods  on  sleighs  to  a  point  about  twenty- 
five  miles  farther  north,  where  we  camped. 
We  cut  down  trees  from  which  we  whip- 
sawed  boards  and  made  our  boats,  to  be 
ready  to  sail  for  Dawson  when  the  ice  of 
lakes  and  rivers  thawed.  This  opening  of 
navigation  occurred  on  May  24th,  1898.  We 
had  many  exciting  experiences  on  account 
of  sand-bars,  and  particularly  at  White 
Horse  Rapids.  Several,  whose  boats  struck 
the  rocks,  were  drowned.  Many  trying  cir- 
cumstances were  met  with :  but  we  were  tak- 
ing these  chances  in  order  to  obtain  gold; 
besides,  we  had  the  trials  of  others  always 


196  An  American  Missionary 

present  to  encourage  us  in  bearing  our  own. 
How  different  w^as  the  case  of  our  dear 
Father  Judge,  who  was  nearly  always  alone! 

"  Let  us  hurry  on  to  Dawson  in  order  that 
we  may  see  the  real  hero  of  the  Klondike. 
We  arrived  in  Dawson  on  June  13th,  at  4 
P.  M.,  that  is  about  8  P.  M.  eastern  time. 
It  was  somewhat  difficult  to  land,  owing  to 
the  swift  current  of  the  Yukon,  supple- 
mented here  by  the  Klondike  River.  We 
found  along  the  river  front  a  lot  of  houses 
and  cabins  used  as  saloons,  theatres,  dance- 
halls,  restaurants,  etc.,  and  the  river  bank 
was  strewn  with  blankets  and  robes  used  as 
bedding.  Many  slept  on  the  bank  of  the 
river  until  they  could  arrange  to  locate  on 
the  hills  back  of  Dawson,  or  on  the  creeks. 

''  About  9.30  P.  M.,  having  cleaned  up 
as  well  as  possible,  I  set  out  for  St.  Mary's 
Hospital,  which  I  had  no  difficulty  in  finding. 
Approaching  from  the  rear,  I  saw  seated 
on  a  bed  in  the  hallway,  and  saying  his 
rosary,  a  man  whose  hair  was  thin  and  grey, 
and  whose  face  was  lined  with  care,  but  out 
of  whose  eyes  there  seemed  to  issue  a  won- 
derful light.  He  was  in  deep  meditation, 
and  I  had  time  to  observe  his  clothes  and 
even  his  boots.  The  former  were  dark  and 
seedy,  but  clean,  the  latter  were,  to  my  sur- 
prise, heavy  boots  with  good  sized  nails,  to 
prevent   them    from    wearing    out    quickly. 


The  Rush  to  the  Klondike  197 

After  a  few  minutes  he  noticed  me  standing 
outside,  and  cheerfully  asked  me  in.  He  in- 
quired my  business,  and  informed  me  that 
he  would  say  Mass  in  a  cabin  at  6  A.  M. 
This  was  nine  days  after  his  church  was 
burned  down. 

"  Not  having  heard  Mass  for  four  months 
I  was  hungry  for  it.  Though  our  trials  and 
dangers  caused  us  to  lead  good  lives  on  the 
trail,  we  needed  something  more,  we  needed 
the  ambassador  of  Christ,  who  had  power  to 
say  to  us,  '  Go  in  peace  thy  sins  are  forgiven 
thee.'  I  was  reminded  of  what  the  Follow- 
ing of  Christ  says  in  regard  to  the  Mass,  that 
if  it  were  celebrated  but  at  one  place  on 
earth  how  anxious  we  would  all  be  to  be 
present  at  it. 

"  Next  morning,  wanting  to  be  in  good 
time  for  confession  before  Mass,  I  left  the 
boat  at  5  A.  M., — not  having  slept  any,  as 
the  sun  merely  hid  behind  the  mountains 
for  a  couple  of  hours — and  reached  the  tem- 
porary chapel  ten  minutes  later.  I  waited 
for  two  hours,  and  still  no  priest!  I  w^on- 
dered,  but  my  surprise  was  explained  when 
I  asked  a  man  what  time  it  was  and  he  an- 
swered: Tive  fifteen.'  Then  the  difference 
of  time  between  San  Francisco  and  Dawson, 
about  two  hours,  occurred  to  me.  I  had 
started  three  hours  too  early.  It  gave  me 
time  for  reflection.    By  this  time  many  were 


198  An  American  Missionary 

about,  mostly  Protestants,  and  a  priest, 
whom  I  afterwards  found  to  be  Father  Le- 
febvre,  had  come  out  of  the  hospital,  and 
was  reading  his  office,  standing  on  a  boulder. 
This  Father  Lefebvre  had  come  to  Dawson 
as  if  by  a  miracle  a  week  after  Father  Judge's 
church  was  burned,  thus  enabling  him  to 
have  Mass.  All  the  vestments  and  sacred 
vessels  had  been  burned  with  the  church. 
After  a  short  time  the  bell,  saved  from  the 
fire  and  fastened  on  a  pole,  rang  out  the  An- 
gelus.  The  good  Father  said  it,  and  at  '  The 
Word  was  made  flesh  '  he  reverently  genu- 
flected wath  hat  in  hand  and  head  bowed. 
The  impression  on  the  non-Catholic  was 
great,  but  to  the  Catholic,  the  Angelus  bell 
so  far  from  civilization,  and  the  confession 
of  faith  by  the  priest  were  sublime.  Many 
shed  tears  of  joy,  because  though  far  from 
home  and  friends  they  were  closer  to  God's 
home,  and  though  trials  had  been  constant 
in  their  journey,  they  had  arrived  in  the  har- 
bor of  the  soul's  peace. 

"  In  a  moment  appeared  Father  Judge 
with  cassock,  but  no  biretta,  it  too  having 
been  burned.  He  did  not  look  like  the  man 
I  had  met  the  night  before;  there  was  some 
great  difiference.  That  difference  was  caused 
by  his  cassock.  His  whole  appearance 
changed  as  soon  as  it  was  put  on.  That 
morning  he   came   stepping   from   stone   to 


The  Rush  to  the  Klondike  199 

stone,  his  face  illumined,  and  his  movements 
eager,  as  though  some  most  pleasant  event 
were  to  come.  And  surely  it  was  so — he  was 
about  to  offer  up  the  Holy  Sacrifice.  Father 
Judge  heard  our  confessions  and  his  instruc- 
tions were  very  consoling  to  the  penitents. 
He  vested  for  Mass  and  soon  began  it. 
Every  action  was  intensely  devotional, 
every  syllable  plainly  spoken.  His  fervor 
was  that  of  a  young  priest  saying  his  first 
Mass,  and  it  was  always  so,  even  to  the  end 
of  his  life.  You  can  well  imagine  it  was  an 
impressive  Mass,  and  a  sincere  Communion. 
I  do  not  think  the  sublime  character  of  the 
Mass  was  ever  better  impressed  upon  any 
of  us  in  the  grand  cathedrals  of  the  States. 
I  attended  Mass  daily,  and  on  Sunday,  June 
19th,  the  Feast  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  our  good 
Father  preached  at  High  Mass  on  Jesus' 
love.  He  always  said  he  was  no  preacher, 
and  he  could  bear  no  mention  of  his  good 
sermons,  but  it  is  true  that  while  he  always 
stood  erect  with  hands  folded,  and  made  no 
gestures,  every  word  that  fell  from  his  lips 
sank  into  his  hearers'  hearts." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

DAWSON  CITY. 

"  In  this  we  have  known  the  charity  of  God,  because  He 
hath  laid  down  His  life  for  us;  and  we  ought  to  lay  down 
our  lives  for  the  brethren." — /  John,  in,  16. 

ABOUT  the  end  of  May,  1897,  Father 
Judge  went  to  take  up  his  residence  per- 
manently at  Dawson,  the  growing  center  of 
the  Klondike  region.  Most  likely  he  took 
the  first  steamer  that  ascended  the  river 
from  Forty  Mile  after  the  breaking"  up  of  the 
ice.  Thus  he  was  able  to  transport  most  con- 
veniently his  little  stock  of  furniture  and 
church  goods,  as  well  as  any  furnishings  for 
the  projected  hospital,  that  he  might  have 
gathered  together.  On  his  arrival  he  found 
an  improvised  town  of  some  five  hundred 
houses  or  tents,  with  a  population  of  about 
four  thousand. 

This  most  northern  of  American  cities  lies 
along  the  right  bank  of  the  Yukon,  north  of 
the  point  where  the  Klondike  creek  empties 
into  the  great  river.  The  position  seems  well 
chosen;  for  on  the  east  and  northeast  the 
town  is  sheltered  by  a  noble  mountain,  be- 

200 


Dawson  City  201 

tween  which  and  the  river  there  is  room  for 
a  goodly  city. 

At  the  foot  of  this  mountain,  and  not  far 
from  the  river,  the  Missionary  located  his 
hospital  and  church. 

During  June,  July,  and  August  the  pastor 
occupied  a  large  tent,  in  w^hich  he  had  four 
berths;  so  that  he  could  lodge  tv^o  v^orkmen, 
and,  if  need  be,  a  guest.  He  arranged  mat- 
ters so  as  to  be  able  to  say  Mass  in  the  tent 
before  preparing  breakfast  for  his  men  or 
his  guests:  for,  it  seems  that  the  spirit  of  the 
Father  Minister  of  former  years  still  urged 
him  to  cook  for  others,  as  he  did  at  the  little 
picnics  in  the  v^oods  of  Maryland. 

We  can  hardly  realize  the  magnitude  of 
the  task  of  building  a  hospital,  a  church,  and 
residences,  under  the  difficulties  that  beset 
the  builder  on  the  banks  of  the  Yukon  in 
1897.  Logs  had  to  be  procured  and  rafted 
dow^n  the  river  or  draw^n  by  dog-teams 
to  the  site  of  the  rising  structures.  Then 
the  thousand  and  one  things  needed  in  such 
buildings  had  to  be  obtained  or  substitutes 
invented.  If  hair  and  cotton  could  not  be 
had  to  fill  the  mattresses,  dried  grass  or 
herbs  from  the  mountain-side  or  the  river's 
bank  must  take  their  place.  If  paper  and 
paint  were  not  available,  muslin  and  sizing 
would,  perhaps,  do  as  well. 

The  claims  of  the  sick  were  so  urgent  that 


202  An  American  Missionary 

the  Missionary's  first  care  was  to  complete 
the  hospital;  and,  despite  many  difficulties, 
he  was  able  to  open  it  for  the  reception  of 
patients  on  August  20th. 

This  first  building  was  of  logs,  the  seams 
being  filled  with  earth  and  moss.  It  was  fifty 
feet  by  twenty,  and  two  stories  high  with 
slightly  sloping  roof.  Windows  four  feet  by 
three,  with  rustic  frames,  admitted  the  light 
into  rooms  nine  feet  high,  the  floors  and 
ceilings  of  which  were  finished  alike  in  wood, 
while  the'  walls  were  lined  w4th  muslin  sized 
and  coated  with  white  lead.  The  furniture 
consisted  (later,  at  least,)  of  very  simple  lit- 
tle bedsteads  with  mattresses  stuffed  with 
dry  herbage,  plain  wooden  chairs,  empty 
boxes  for  washstands,  some  tables,  a  few 
wardrobes,  and  many  stoves. 

Our  imagination  may  fill  up  the  details 
of  the  priest's  busy  life  during  those  summer 
months.  With  some  hundreds  of  souls  to 
care  for,  sick  men  to  tend,  workmen  to  di- 
rect, and  material  to  procure,  he  must  have 
felt  that  his  desire  to  ''  do  some  little  for  the 
glory  of  the  Sacred  Heart  "  was  being  satis- 
fied to  the  full. 

As  the  work  went  on,  he  was  cheered  by 
the  thought  that  the  Sisters  of  St.  Ann  would 
come  to  take  charge  of  the  hospital;  but  he 
was  to  have  the  merit  of  suffering  a  tempo- 
rary disappointment  in  that  regard.    He  tells 


n^^ 


Dawson   City  203 

of  this  trial  in  a  letter  to  his  Superior.  "  It 
was,"  he  says,  '*  a  great  disappointment  for 
all  here,  miners  and  prospectors  of  all  de- 
nominations and  nationalities,  not  to  see  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Ann  on  board  the  '  Alice,'  as 
they  expected  them  for  the  opening  of  St. 
Mary's  Hospital.  I  need  hardly  say  that  my 
disappointment  was  still  greater  than  theirs; 
but  God  knows  what  is  best  for  us.  The  hos- 
pital is  finished,  and  the  Sisters'  house  and 
the  church  are  going  up  rapidly.  I  still  hope 
that  the  Sisters  will  come  up  this  fall.  Every- 
thing else  is  going  on  well,  and  I  look  for  a 
prosperous  yea  .  There  are  many  Catholics 
pouring  in,  so     shall  have  plenty  to  do." 

The  church  was  rising  on  the  left  of  the 
hospital.  It  was  similar  in  construction  to 
the  latter,  fifty  feet  by  twenty-four,  and  it 
could  seat  a  congregation  of  about  two  hun- 
dred. The  front  was  made  as  ornamental 
as  the  circumstances  would  permit.  A  flight 
of  eight  steps,  the  whole  width  of  the  build- 
ing, led  to  the  entrance,  which  was  furnished 
with  a  double  door  and  finished  with  a  trian- 
gular cornice.  Over  the  entrance  was  a  cir- 
cular window,  and  above  the  gable  rose  a 
modest  hexagonal  belfry  tipped  with  a  sim- 
ple cross,  and  containing  a  small  church-bell. 
It  is  thus  described  by  a  correspondent  of 
the  New  York  Evening  Post :  "  The  first 
Roman  Catholic  church  of  Dawson  City  was 


204  An  American  Missionary 

a  large  structure  built  of  logs,  at  the  north 
extremity  of  the  town.  The  seats  were 
merely  rough  boards  placed  on  stumps.  The 
pastor  made  the  altar  himself,  doing  most  of 
the  work  with  an  ordinary  penknife.*  At 
first  there  was  no  glass  for  the  windows,  but 
heavy  white  muslin  was  tacked  to  the 
frames,  and  though  the  thermometer  was 
often  60  degrees  below  zero,  two  large 
stoves  kept  the  church  comfortable.  Like 
all  other  Catholic  churches,  it  was  always 
open. 

"  At  Easter,  window  glass  was  put  in,  and 
an  organ-loft,  with  a  simple  railing  around  it, 
built  in  the  rear.  The  organ  was  a  small  one, 
sent  up  from  one  of  the  missions  down  the 
river;  but  owing  to  the  many  good  voices  in 
the  choir,  the  Masses  were  rendered  finely, 
especially  those  at  Christmas  and  Easter, 
w^hen  a  violinist  volunteered  his  services/' 

Thus  the  summer  and  autumn  were  passed 
in  building  up  the  material  and  the  spiritual 
house  of  God,  as  well  as  an  asylum  for  the 
Lord's  suffering  members. 

Some  letters  that  Father  Judge  found  time 
to  write  in  the  winter  of  '97  and  '98  throw 
light  on  the  varied  occupations  of  his  life 
during  that  time.  To  his  immediate  Supe- 
rior at  Juneau  he  wrote  as  follows : — 

*We  must  suppose  that  the  correspondent  meant  the 
ornamental  work. 


Dawson  City  205 

St,  Mary's  Hospital, 
Dawson  City,  Nov.  15th,  '97. 
Rev.  and  dear  Father  Superior: 

Pax  Christi! 

I  have  so  much  to  tell  your  Reverence  that 
I  fear  I  shall  forget  at  least  half  of  it;  but 
I  shall  have  many  opportunities  for  sending 
letters  to  Juneau  as  soon  as  the  river  closes, 
and  so  I  hope  that,  little  by  little,  you  will  get 
all  the  particulars  you  desire. 

Although  the  ice  began  to  form  in  the  lat- 
ter part  of  September,  which  was  earlier  than 
usual,  the  river  is  not  closed  yet,  and  this  is 
something  never  known  before.  Since  I  have 
been  in  the  country,  we  have  always  been 
able  to  travel  on  the  river  by  this  time  of 
the  year,  but  now  there  is  open  water. 

This  morning  was  the  coldest  we  have  had, 
viz.,  20  degrees  below  zero;  but  it  moderated 
during  the  day. 

The  first  and  most  important  news  is  that 
the  Sisters  of  St.  Ann  did  not  get  here.  They 
came,  it  appears,  on  the  "  Alice  "  as  far  as 
Fort  Yukon,  but  the  water  was  too  low  for 
the  boat  to  pass,  and  they  together  with 
Brother  C,  returned  to  Nulato;  and  perhaps, 
as  I  heard,  to  Holy  Cross.  In  fact,  I  received 
nothing  from  below,  not  even  Mass  wine; 
but,  thank  God,  I  have  enough  of  that.  .  .  . 

I  was  obliged  to  open  the  hospital  towards 


206  An  American  Missionary 

the  end  of  August,  and  I  have  had  ever 
since  an  average  of  tw^enty  sick  persons.  At 
first,  I  took  only  temporary  help;  but,  when 
I  found  that  the  Sisters  w^ere  not  coming, 
I  made  arrangements  for  a  permanent  staff 
of  nurses,  cooks,  etc.,  and  everything  is 
working  as  well  as  could  be  expected  under 
the  circumstances.  All  the  sick  are  most 
agreeably  surprised  to  find  so  much  comfort, 
and  all  are  loud  in  their  praise  of  the  good 
work  we  are  doing,  and  the  great  blessing  the 
hospital  is  proving  to  the  camp. 

The  fact  that  the  steamers  were  not  able 
to  come  up  on  the  last  trip  has  left  provisions 
very  short  here.  Many  have  gone  down  the 
river,  not  having  food  enough  for  the  whole 
winter,  and  many  are  paying  as  much  as  a 
liundred  dollars  a  sack  for  flour,  and  it  is  hard 
to  get  it  even  at  that  exhorbitant  price. 
Many  also  intend  to  go  away  on  the  ice,  but 
I  fear  some  of  them  will  perish.  I  need  not 
tell  your  Reverence  how  people  have  been 
pouring  in  all  the  summer  and  fall,  as  you  can 
see  them  passing  through  Juneau,  and  they 
are  still  coming  every  day.  We  see  by  papers 
and  letters,  that  the  whole  world  is  excited 
over  the  place,  and  that  tens  of  thousands 
intend  to  come  here  next  spring.  There  is 
only  one  thing  spoken  of  here,  and  that  is 
''  grub."  For  the  last  two  months  everyone 
has  been  busy  trying  to  secure  enough  to  eat 


Dawson   City  207 

for  the  winter.  The  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  filled  all  the  orders  they  promised, 
and  luckily  I  had  placed  mine  in  time.  .  .  . 
I  think  I  shall  have  enough  of  the  essentials 
for  the  year,  but  many  luxuries,  in  the  rela- 
tive sense  of  the  w^ord,  w^hich  I  expected  in 
case  the  boats  came,  will  be  wanting. 

The  hospital  building  is  finished,  except 
the  doors  for  the  rooms.  We  had  no  lumber 
to  make  these,  but  we  have  curtains,  which 
will  do  equally  well  if  not  better.  The  Sis- 
ters' house  adjoining  the  hospital  is  also 
finished  and  in  use.  The  church  is  nearly 
completed,  though  the  window^s  are  not  yet 
made,  nor  is  it  lined.  We  are  using  it  how- 
ever, such  as  it  is,  having  covered  the  win- 
dows with  white  muslin.  .  .  .  My  ow^n  house 
adjoining  the  church  is  also  closed  in  and  is 
used  for  a  carpenter-shop,  laundry,  and  quar- 
ters for  all  those  employed  around  the  hos- 
pital. After  Christmas  I  shall  send  you  a 
list  of  what  we  need  for  next  summer. 

Of  late  my  own  health  has  not  been  as 
good,  at  times,  as  it  might  be,  but  I  cannot 
complain.  I  had  a  slight  attack  of  chills  a 
few  weeks  ago,  but  I  was  not  laid  up  at  all. 
I  have  not  missed  Mass  a  single  day,  nor 
have  I  been  prevented  from  attending  to  my 
duties.  However,  the  work  here  is  too  much 
for  one  priest.  I  know  your  Reverence  real- 
izes the  fact,  and  that  you  would  leave  noth- 


208  An  American  Missionary 

ing  undone  to  send  assistance.  There  are  a 
great  many  Catholics  here;  we  have  about 
one  hundred  at  Mass  every  Sunday.  We 
have  High  Mass,  sermon,  and  Benediction 
of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  every  Sunday,  and 
a  fair  number  of  confessions  and  commun- 
ions during  the  week. 

Of  course,  besides  my  spiritual  ministra- 
tions to  the  souls  of  my  increasing  congre- 
gation, chiefly  composed  of  Canadians  and 
Americans  of  Irish  descent,  I  have  many 
other  duties  to  discharge.  For  instance,  I 
have  to  superintend  everything  about  the 
hospital  myself,  seeing  that  the  doctor's  pre- 
scriptions are  carried  out  in  regard  to  medi- 
cine, food,  etc.  Again,  the  keeping  of  ac- 
counts is  added  to  my  other  occupations  in 
the  temporal  order.  All  these  things  com- 
bined leave  me  but  little  spare  time.  Still,  I 
am  happy  for  all  that ;  and,  if  God  spares  me, 
I  hope  to  keep  everything  in  good  order  until 
you  come  in  the  spring,  when  no  doubt  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Ann  will  be  up,  and  some 
Fathers  will  come  to  help  me,  or  even  replace 
me,  as  you  may  think  best.  Recommend- 
ing myself  and  my  work  to  your  holy  sacri- 
fices, I  remain  ever, 

Your  humble  servant  in  Christ, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 


Dawson  City  209 

The  next  day  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  broth- 
ers: 

St.  Mary's  Hospital, 

Dawson,  N.  W.  T.,  Nov.  i6th,  1897. 

Dear  Brother: 

This  is  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  of 
sending  out  letters  since  I  received  yours, 
as  it  came  too  late  for  the  summer  mail  per 
steamers.  .  .  . 

I  undertook  last  summer  to  build  a  hos- 
pital here  for  the  Sisters,  whom  I  expected 
to  come  in  on  the  first  boat.  This,  as  you 
can  easily  understand,  was  no  small  under- 
taking. To  build  a  hospital  in  the  wilder- 
ness, or  rather  on  a  mountain-side,  in  this 
part  of  the  world,  with  wages  from  ten  to  fif- 
teen dollars  a  day,  and  in  the  few  months  of 
good  weather  which  we  call  summer,  is  no 
small  work.  But,  thank  God,  all  has  gone 
well,  and  I  have  a  good  hospital  building,  a 
house  for  the  Sisters,  a  good  church,  and  a 
residence  for  the  priest.  The  buildings  all 
being  of  logs  and  two  stories  high,  without 
doubt  I  have  the  finest  place  in  town.  The 
only  drawback  has  been  that  the  Sisters  did 
not  succeed  in  getting  up  the  river.  When 
those  outside  sent  word  they  could  not  come, 
I  arranged  to  get  four  Sisters  from  the  In- 
dian schools  down  the  river.  They  came  to 
within  four  hundred  miles  of  Dawson;  but. 


210  An  American  Missionary 

on  account  of  low  water,  the  steamer  could 
not  get  up,  so  they  returned  to  the  schools. 

I  was  forced  to  open  the  hospital  even  be- 
fore I  was  ready,  August  20th,  and  we  have 
had  about  twenty  patients  ever  since.  Al- 
though it  is  not  as  good  as  if  the  Sisters  were 
here,  all  are  more  than  pleased  with  the  hos- 
pital, finding  it  far  better  than  they  could  ex- 
pect in  these  parts.    .  .  . 

No  one  can  tell  how  many  will  come  here 
next  spring  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 

The  mail-carrier  is  waiting  for  this,  so  I 
must  stop.  ...  I  will  try  to  send  some  let- 
ters by  each  mail  and  you  can  pass  them 
around.  ...  I  close  with  a  heartfelt  "  God 
bless  you !"  Your  Brother, 

Wm.  K.  Judge,  S.  J. 

The  Missionary  was  thus  thrown  on  his 
own  resources,  in  the  depth  of  an  Arctic  win- 
ter, with  sick  men  to  care  for  and  only  the 
necessaries  of  life  for  them  and  for  himself, 
but  his  courage  did  not  fail.  The  vitalizing 
power  of  the  Catholic  faith  and  of  the  grace 
that  accompanies  it,  is  wonderful  and  often 
enables  weak  mortals  to  accomplish  what 
would  else  appear  superhuman.  Our  Lord 
must  have  powerfully  supported  his  minis- 
ter during  that  trying  winter,  for  he  not 
only  did  not  despond,  but  he  was  able  to  aid 
and  cheer  others. 


Dawson   City  211 

People  in  the  States,  knowing  the  extreme 
difficulty  of  transporting  provisions  to  the 
Klondike  region,  and  the  number  of  men  that 
had  gone  there,  feared  for  the  thousands 
who  would  have  to  spend  the  winter  sur- 
rounded by  almost  impassable  barriers  of 
ice  and  snow.  Rumors  of  threatened  fam- 
ine and  starvation  circulated  through  the 
land.  Like  others,  the  relatives  and  friends 
of  Dawson's  pastor  were  seriously  afraid 
that  lack  of  food  would  be  added  to  his 
other  trials;  and  it  was  difficult  to  obtain 
news. 

Early  in  February,  1898,  a  letter  from 
Father  Judge  reached  his  Superior  and  con- 
tained these  reassuring  lines:  ''  My  health  is 
pretty  good,  and  I  am  very  happy  and  so 
busy  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  to 
town  once  a  month.  I  have  a  good  organ- 
ist for  the  church,  and  expect  to  have  quite 
an  orchestra  for  Christmas.  .  .  .  Pray  often 
for  me  and  for  the  work  you  have  entrusted 
to  my  care.  God's  blessing  seems  to  be  on 
it." 

The  ''  Klondike  Nugget  '*  gave,  in  an  able 
and  sympathetic  paragraph,  this  touching 
epitome  of  that  winter's  work:  "  During  the 
winter  of  1897-98  Father  Judge's  hospital 
was  crowded  with  the  sick  and  the  frozen. 
The  Father's  charity  was  broad  as  the  earth, 
and  none  of  the  hundreds  of  applicants  were 


212  An  American  Missionary 

even  asked  their  religious  preferences. 
Nevertheless,  the  spiritual  wants  of  his  flock 
were  provided  for  in  a  small  church  next  to 
the  hospital,  and  we  find  him  adding  priestly 
duties  to  his  many  other  tasks.  By  the  side  of 
the  dead  and  dying,  burying  them  when  none 
others  appeared  on  the  scene  for  that  duty, 
superintending  and  personally  directing  even 
the  minutest  detail  of  the  rapidly  increasing 
hospital,  cheering  the  sad,  joking  the  conva- 
lescent, devising  means  of  comfort  for  the 
irritable  sick,  coaxing  the  obstinate,  praying 
with  and  for  the  religiously  inclined,  plan- 
ning appetizing  morsels  from  an  almost 
empty  larder,  cheering  and  encouraging  the 
downhearted  and  sad — thus  we  find  the  good 
man  spending  his  time  until  he  is  himself 
laid  low  by  the  cruel  hand  of  remorseless 
disease.  Delicate  in  health  and  frail  in  body 
from  his  earliest  youth,  it  not  infrequently 
happened  that  those  he  attended  were  heart- 
ier and  stronger  and  sufifered  less  than  him- 
self." 

When  the  long  winter  was  drawing  to  a 
close  and  the  first  signs  of  coming  spring 
appeared,  the  active  missionary  hastened  to 
dispel  the  fears  of  his  relatives  and  to  give 
them,  as  usual,  an  account  of  his  doing,  in 
the  following  letters: 


Dawson  City  213 

Dawson,  N.  W.  T., 
Dear  Brother:  ^arch  i,  1898. 

I  am  sure  you  and  all  my  dear  friends 
are  greatly  disappointed  on  account  of  my 
not  writing  more  frequently;  but,  I  assure 
you,  it  is  not  for  want  of  good  will  that  I 
do  not  let  you  know  more  al30Ut  things  here. 
We  have  great  laughs  at  what  is  printed  in 
the  papers  about  these  parts.  Everything  is 
so  exaggerated,  both  the  good  and  the  bad. 
The  papers  have  us  all  dead  or  starving;  and 
yet,  for  my  own  part,  I  feel  as  if  I  were  back 
in  civilization  again.  Beef  and  mutton  are 
no  longer  things  of  the  past;  although  they 
do  cost  a  dollar  a  pound  wholesale,  we  have 
them  all  the  same.  So  far  there  has  been  no 
starvation,  and  I  hope  there  will  be  none;  but 
as  the  stores  have  nothing  to  sell,  those  who 
have  more  than  they  need,  or  who  are  going 
out  on  the  ice,  sell  what  they  can  spare  at 
fancy  prices.  The  common  price  all  the  win- 
ter has  been  one  dollar  a  pound  for  provisions 
of  all  kinds,  and  generally  one  would  have 
to  take  all  the  party  had  —  flour,  meat,  can- 
ned goods,  salt,  etc. —  all  at  the  same  price. 
I  have  been  paying  a  dollar  and  a  half  for 
candles,  and  I  could  not  get  them  less. 

We  have  had  as  high  as  fifty  in  the  hos- 
pital, about  half  of  them  scurvy  cases,  and 
all  new  men  who  came  last  summer. 


214  An  American  Missionary 

They  are  finding  new  gold-bearing  creeks 
every  few  weeks;  the  excitement  keeps  up, 
and  no  doubt  there  will  be  a  great  crowd 
here  this  summer,  and  the  gold  that  will  be 
taken  out  will  add  fuel  to  the  fire  of  excite- 
ment outside. 

The  Canadian  mail,  which  should  have 
been  here  last  fall,  has  just  arrived  but  has 
not  been  given  out  yet,  and  I  cannot  wait  to 
see  if  there  are  any  letters  for  me,  as  this 
must  go  to-night,  for  the  bearer  will  leave 
in  the  morning. 

I  am  very  well,  but  of  course  as  busy  as 
one  can  be.  Everything  however  is  going 
well;  the  hospital  is  praised  by  everyone, 
and  it  is  the  means  of  preventing  a  great  deal 
of  suffering  and  of  doing  much  good.  About 
a  month  ago  we  had  a  beautiful  death.  A 
man  well  known  outside  was  converted  while 
in  the  hospital  by  reading  "  Plain  Facts  for 
Fair  Minds."  He  received  the  Sacraments 
with  great  devotion,  and  died  most  happily. 

If  you  want  to  send  me  anything,  good 
books,  I  think,  would  be  the  most  acceptable 
and  would  do  the  most  good.  I  find  those 
who  are  not  of  the  faith  very  anxious  to 
know  something  about  the  Church,  and  glad 
to  read  books  explaining  its  doctrines. 

But  I  am  not  telling  you  about  the  coun- 
try. Well,  no  doubt  there  are  great  quanti- 
ties of  gold  here;   but  do  not  think  that  one 


Dawson   City  215 

can  come  and  get  it  without  hard  work.  It 
is  just  the  excessive  hard  work  necessary  to 
get  here,  together  with  the  poor  food  and 
bad  cooking  on  the  trail  and  while  travelling 
around  the  creeks  looking  for  the  gold,  that 
brings  the  scurvy  on  so  many.  .  .  . 

We  have  been  wondering  that  none  have 
come  down  the  river  for  several  months ;  but 
we  hear  that  the  Government  has  stopped 
them  above,  not  letting  anyone  pass  who  has 
not  a  thousand  pounds  of  provisions.   .  .  . 

Once  more  assuring  you  of  my  own  good 
health  and  happiness,  and  hoping  that  you 
are  all  enjoying  good  health  and  making 
good  use  of  the  grace  of  this  holy  season 
(Lent),  I  must  stop  with  a  most  hearty 
"  God  bless  you!  " 

Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

On  the  nth  of  the  same  month,  after 
speaking  of  the  starvation  scare  and  the 
failure  of  the  Sisters  to  get  to  Dawson,  he 
writes  to  one  of  his  sisters:  ''  In  the  mean- 
time. I  have  been  running  the  hospital  my- 
self with  hired  help.  Since  we  opened  last 
August,  we  have  had  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  patients,  fifty  being  the  highest  num- 
ber in  the  house  at  one  time.  .  .  .  The  hos- 
pital has  been  the  means  of  leading  quite  a 
few  sheep  back  to  the  fold.  .  .  . 


216  An  American  Missionary 

"  I  have  a  good  log  church  fifty  by  twenty- 
four  feet,  which  will  seat  about  two  hundred. 
It  is  not  finished  yet,  but  it  will  be,  as  soon 
as  the  boats  come  in  the  spring  and  bring 
us  some  drilling  with  which  to  line  it. 

"  We  are  using  it  every  day  and  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  is  kept  there.  We  had  fine  music 
for  Christmas  and  they  are  now  preparing 
for  Easter.  God  has  been  very  good  to  me, 
and  has  blessed  the  Mission  beyond  all  that 
I  could  have  hoped  for,  sending  me  so  many 
friends  and  all  the  help  needed  for  the  hos- 
pital, and  providing  us  with  everything  nec- 
essary when  there  was  so  great  a  scarcity 
of  provisions.  You  must  not  fail  to  thank 
Him  for  His  great  goodness  to  me  which  I 
can  not  help  attributing,  in  great  part,  to  the 
prayers  of  my  friends,  who  I  know  are  con- 
stantly pleading  for  me.  .  .  . 

"  I  am  glad  that  I  am  here  to  ^ive  some 
consolation  to  the  great  number  of  Catholics 
who  come  among  the  rest,  and  to  sow  good 
seed  among  the  many  non-Catholics  whom 
I  meet  in  the  hospital  and  elsewhere.  I  have 
abundant  consolation  in  all  my  labors. 

"  The  church  goods  you  sent  me  have  been 
a  great  source  of  pleasure  to  me,  for  it  makes 
me  happy  to  be  able  to  keep  the  church  neat 
and  the  vestments  becoming. 

"  I  am  sure  I  am  not  telling:  you  half  you 
would  like  to  know  about  the  country,  but 


Dawson  City  217 

you  must  make  allowance  for  one  who  has 
so  many  things  to  fill  his  head.  After  the 
Sisters  come  and  relieve  me  in  part  of  the 
hospital,  I  may  be  able  to  write  more.   .  .  . 

''  If  men  would  do  half  as  much  for  heaven 
as  they  do  for  gold,  how  many  saints  there 
would  be,  and  how  much  more  real  happi- 
ness in  this  world!  " 

On  April  25th  he  wrote:  "  I  can  send  you 
only  a  few  lines  to-night,  as  the  bearer,  a 
great  friend  of  mine,  will  start  in  a  few  hours 
and  he  wants  to  seal  the  mail  he  is  taking 
out  in  a  tin  box,  for  fear  of  water,  as  the  trail 
is  getting  bad  now.  I  am  kept  so  very  busy 
that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  write.  ...  I 
am  well  and  happy,  and  not  starved  as  you 
feared.  Last  fall  there  were  fears  that  we 
would  not  have  food  enough  for  all;  but  it 
all  came  out  right  —  no  starvation  nor  real 
suffering,  although  many  had  to  do  without 
things  that  they  would  have  liked  to  have." 

The  army  of  invasion  from  "  the  outside  '* 
now  began  to  swarm  into  Dawson,  adding  to 
the  population  at  the  rate  of  two  thousand 
a  month.  It  is  supposed  that  thirty  thousand 
persons  went  into  the  Yukon  country  that 
season,  but  of  course  all  did  not  settle  down 
in  Dawson  City. 

As  the  number  of  new  arrivals  increased, 
so  did  the  work  of  Dawson's  pastor.  The 
correspondent  already  quoted  said:     "Only 


218  An  American  Missionary 

those  who  were  in  Dawson  City  last  spring, 
and  saw  the  sick  constantly  cared  for,  can 
appreciate  the  untold  good  accomplished  by 
Father  Judge  and  his  assistants.  Men  of  all 
creeds,  and  of  no  creed  at  all,  helped  the 
good  Jesuit  priest,  for  he  is  greatly  beloved 
for  his  unselfish  and  untiring  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  needy  and  unfortunate." 

In  the  midst  of  this  busy  season  of  labor 
for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the 
people,  there  came  a  calamity  that  must  have 
sorely  tried  Father  Judge's  patience. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  Trinity  Sunday, 
June  5th,  the  church,  which  had  cost  so  much 
thought  and  labor,  was  consumed  by  fire. 
The  event  was  thus  described  by  the  corre- 
spondent of  the  New  York  Post :  "  About 
one  o'clock  Sunday  morning  early  last  June, 
the  people  of  Dawson  City  were  awakened 
by  the  cry  of  fire,  an  ominous  sound  at  all 
times,  but  especially  terrifying  in  a  town  of 
tents  and  resinous  log  cabins.  There  were 
the  sickening  roar  of  flames  and  the  rush  of 
hurrying  feet.  The  first  cry  was  that  the 
hospital  was  on  fire,  and  hundreds  of  strong 
men,  trained  by  a  life  of  danger  to  think 
quickly,  grabbed  their  blankets  and  a  pail 
and  ran  to  the  fire.  Every  one  gave  a  sigh  of 
relief  when  it  was  found  that  the  church  and 
not  the  hospital  was  blazing  so  fiercely.  But 
the  latter  was  in  danger,  and  to  save  the  sick 


Dawson   City  219 

there  must  be  instant  action.  While  some 
hastily  remoxccl  the  sufferincr  men,  others 
formed  a  line  and  passed  pail  after  pail  of 
water  to  those  on  the  roof  of  the  hospital, 
pouring  it  on  the  blankets  stretched  over  the 
roof  and  into  the  fierce  furnace  below.  It 
was  a  terrible  fight  while  it  lasted,  but  it  was 
soon  over,  and  while  every  one  felt  sorry  to 
have  the  church  destroyed,  a  prayer  of  grat- 
itude went  up  that  the  helpless  men  in  the 
hospital  still  had  their  refuge." 

What  must  have  made  the  loss  of  the 
church  doubly  painful  to  its  apostolic  pastor, 
was  the  fact  that  he  himself  was  the  innocent 
cause  of  the  misfortune.  He  had  gone,  as 
was  his  wont,  late  Saturday  night,  to  say  his 
office  in  the  church.  For  light,  he  had  a 
candle  fixed  on  a  rude  wooden  support. 
While  he  was  thus  engaged  in  offering  up 
the  prayers  of  the  Church  and  communing 
with  his  Lord,  some  one  came  to  summon 
him  to  the  aid  of  a  patient  in  the  hospital 
who  was  very  ill.  He  hastened  away  imme- 
diately, in  his  eagerness  omitting  to  extin- 
guish the  candle  which,  before  he  returned, 
burned  down  and  set  fire  to  the  church. 

That  must  have  been  a  dreary  Trinity 
Sunday  for  both  pastor  and  people,  as  they 
gazed  upon  the  smouldering  ruins.  But  not 
much  time  was  lost  in  useless  regret.  A  col- 
lection was  started  to  rebuild  the  church,  and 


220  An  American  Missionary 

a  generous  response  came  from  both  Cath- 
olics and  Protestants,  one  of  the  latter 
weighing  out  a  hundred  dollars  in  "  dust  " ; 
but,  before  the  collection  was  finished,  one 
generous  man  expressed  his  desire  to  assume 
the  whole  expense.  His  offer  was  accepted, 
and  the  amount  that  had  been  thus  far  col- 
lected was  donated  to  the  hospital. 

Work  was  begun  on  the  new  church  and 
pushed  with  such  energy  that,  in  about  ten 
weeks  from  the  time  of  the  fire,  a  much  better 
church  stood  upon  the  site  of  the  old  one. 

The  following  letter  to  one  of  his  brothers, 
written  only  two  weeks  after  the  fire,  shows 
how  bravely  and  calmly  the  Missionary  ac- 
cepted both  the  loss  and  the  new  task  im- 
posed upon  him. 

St.  Mary's  Hospital, 
Dawson,  June  i8th,  1898. 
Dear  Brother:  Pax  Christi! 

This  is  the  first  opportunity  to  send  letters 
down  the  river;  and,  although  I  cannot  spare 
the  time,  I  must  try  to  send  a  few  words  to 
let  you  all  know  that  I  am  still  alive  and  well. 

The  crowd  of  new-comers  is  increasing 
every  day  and  giving  our  little  town  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  large  city,  the  street  being  too 
crowded  to  be  comfortable. 

A  large  amount  of  gold  will  go  out  this 


Dawson  City  221 

year  and  the  prospects  are  good  for  some 
years  to  come;  yet  the  royalty  and  the  heavy 
taxes  discourage  many  from  working  their 
claims,  the  owners  hoping  to  get  the  royalty 
off  by  next  year.  This  will  prevent  many 
new  men  from  getting  work,  and  keep  the 
country  back.  Many  are  going  to  seek  their 
fortune  in  the  American  territory,  where 
they  will  have  much  more  ground  and  little 
or  no  taxation. 

My  nice  church,  in  which  I  took  so  much 
pride,  all  the  altar  furniture,  vestments, 
flowers,  lace  curtains,  and  every  thing  for 
Mass  and  Benediction  were  burned  two 
weeks  ago  to-day,  June  4th. 

I  was  without  Mass  for  a  week,  until  an 
Oblate  Father  happened  to  come  with  a 
portable  chapel,  just  a  week  after  the  fire. 

Tell  M that  all  the  nice  flowers  she 

has  been  sending,  from  year  to  year,  are 
gone;  so  she  must  begin  again,  and  send  a 
new  supply. 

I  have  not  heard  yet,  but  it  is  likely  that 
the  Oblate  Fathers  will  take  this  place,  and 
then  I  shall  return  to  Alaska.    If  I  do,  I  shall 
send  you  word  of  my  whereabouts.  .  .  . 
Your  affectionate  Brother, 

Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

P.  S.  I  am  building  a  new  church  three 
times  as  large  as  the  old  one,  and  one  of  my 
friends    will    pay    for    it. 


222  An  American  Missionary 

Another  of  the  Father's  friends,  now  a 
prominent  citizen  of  Dawson,  gives  us  the 
following  graphic  account  of  his  first  visit 
to  the  hospital: 

I  landed  with  40,000  other  men  in  the 
middle  of  June,  1898.  Dawson  was  a  city  of 
tents — and  sickness.  The  first  familiar  face  I 
saw  was  that  of  an  acquaintance  of  many- 
years  before.  He  had  been  in  the  Klondike  a 
year,  and  was  accounted  rich. 

"  Have  you  been  to  see  H ?  "  was  his 

first  question  after  the  usual  salutations  and 
mutual  explanations. 

"  Charley  H ?   Why  I  didn't  know  he 

was  here." 

"Yep!"  he  replied.  "Been  down  with 
scurvy  six  months.  Father  Judge  took  him 
in.  Guess  he  saved  his  life.  But  he's  bad  off. 
Guess  it'd  do  him  good  to  see  you." 

"Who  is  this  Father  Judge?" 

"  Father  Judge?  Why,  you  don't  mean  to 
say  you  haven't  heard  of  Father  Judge?  " 

"  I  surely  have  not,"  I  replied  somewhat 
tartly.    "  I've  been  in  Dawson  only  an  hour." 

"  Well,  all  I've  got  to  say  is  that  you  are 
forgetting  your  newspaper  business,  if 
you've  been  here  an  hour  and  haven't  learnt 
of  Father  Judge.  I  guess  he's  a  priest.  Don't 
know  much  about  those  things  anyhow.  But 
I  do  know  as  he's  saved  I  don't  know  how 
many  lives  this  winter.     I  reckon  he  was  the 


Dawson   City  223 

only  one  of  us  as  had  time,  or  wasn't  crazy 
about  gold.  Saved  more'n  a  thousand.  Doc- 
tors all  mining,  and  the  bummest  lot  you  ever 
saw.  Charged  two  ounces  a  visit,  and  the 
sick  fellows  mostly  broke,  or  they  wouldn't 
a'been  sick.  And  say!  You  just  ought  to 
know  Father  Judge.  He's  the  biggest  jol- 
lier—  the  merriest  fellow  you  ever  met. 
When  he  runs  out  of  medicine  he  goes  and 
gets  a  lot  of  bark  and  spruce  boughs,  and  he's 
kept  a  whole  lot  of  'em  alive  up  there,  waiting 
for  medicines  to  come  in.  You  didn't  bring 
any  with  you,  did  you?  " 

''Yes,"  I  said.  "  I've  got  some  for  myself 
in  case  I'm  sick." 

My  acquaintance,    B ,   of   the  Arctic 

meat  market,  broke  into  a  laugh  as  some- 
thing funny  occurred  to  him. 

''  I  guess  you  had  better  not  let  Father 
Judge  know  you've  got  it,"  he  said.  "  He'll 
get  it  out  of  you,  if  you  do." 

''  Is  he  pretty  good  on  the  beg?  "  I  asked, 
grinning  at  B 's  infectious  merriment. 

''  Well,  I  should  say  so.  Twice  this  win- 
ter he  got  nearly  a  quarter  of  meat  out  of 
me  —  two  dollars  a  pound,  too.  But  you  go 
and  see  H and  ask  him." 

I  secured  my  directions,  and  started 
through  the  thickly  crowded  single  street  of 
Dawson  for  the  hill  under  the  slide,  where 


224  An  American  Missionary 

tradition  says  a  whole  village  of  Indians 
was  once  buried. 

I  found,  perched  up  on  the  rocks,  a  large 
canvas  church  — its  log  predecessor  had  been 
burned.  Alongside  was  a  log  building,  ex- 
tended with  canvas  tents.  I  entered  at  what 
I  took  to  be  the  entrance,  though  there  were 
many  openings,  with  carpenters  passing  in 
and  out.  I  was  right,  and  found  the  "  office,'* 
a  bare  room,  but  clean.  I  sat  down  on  what 
I  took  to  be  a  home-made  lounge  —  it  was 
of  hard  boards,  covered  with  a  clean  carpet 
rug,  with  a  pillow  at  the  head.  I  touched 
the  bell  on  the  table,  and  it  was  answered  by 
a  tired-looking,  old-young  man.  I  recog- 
nized a  shabby,  priestly  garb. 

"Is  this  Father  Judge?'' 

"  Yes-s,"  replied  the  stranger,  eyeing  me 
thoughtfully.  "How  are  you?  You  don't 
look  sick." 

"  No,  no,"  I  hastened  to  say.  "  Vm  not 
sick.  I  just  came  down  the  river.  I  heard 
you  had  a  friend  of  mine  here,  a  Mr. — " 

"  Just  came  down  the  river,  eh?  "  he  broke 
in.  Then  with  his  eyes  twinkling  and  the 
appearance  of  age  gone,  he  asked  somewhat 
banteringly,  but  eagerly: — 

"  I  don't  suppose,  now,  you've  got  such 
things  as  potatoes  with  you?  " 

''  Potatoes !  "  I  echoed,  with  astonishment. 
"  I  suppose  you  are  hankering  for  a  mess  of 


Dawson  City  225 

potatoes  after  the  food  famine  of  the  past 
winter." 

''  I  ?  "  in  great  astonishment.  ''  Why,  bless 
your  heart,  no.  I  don't  want  potatoes.  But 
IVe  got  a  big  houseful  of  fellows  here  with 
scurvy,  and  medicine  has  been  about  gone 
for  months.  Potatoes  would  fix  'em  though." 

He  grew  thoughtful,  and  continued  as 
though  speaking  to  himself: — 

''  There'll  be  some  coming  in  pretty  soon, 
I  suppose,  but  I  expect  they  will  be  five  or 
ten  dollars  a  pound,  and  I'm  broke.  Well!  " 
with  sudden  resolution  and  briskness:  "  I'll 
get  them  if  I  have  to  pray  for  them.  Now, 
whom  might  you  be  wanting  to  see?  " 

I  told  him,  and  received  the  proper 
directions.  As  I  started  up  the  stairs  he 
said : — 

"  You  want  to  cheer  him  up  till  I  can  get 
some  medicine  or  potatoes  for  him.  We  must 
keep  them  alive  on  hope,  you  know." 

I  found  H .    He  was  sitting  up  in  bed, 

smoking.  He  had  been  carried  to  the  hospi- 
tal six  months  before,  and  had  never  been 
out  of  bed.  In  the  ward  with  him  were  fif- 
teen other  scurvy  patients.     After  a  hearty 

exchange  of  greetings,  H proceeded  to 

introduce  to  me  every  man  in  the  room,  after 
which  I  sat  down  on  the  edge  of  his  bed  and 
talked. 

*'  I  don't  suppose  you've  brought  any  po- 


226  An  American  Missionary 

tatoes?"  he  queried,  as  soon  as  the  confu- 
sion consequent  upon  my  arrival,  had  ceased. 

"  Only  the  evaporated,"  I  replied.  ''  You 
all  seem  to  v^ant  potatoes.  I  suppose  from 
w^hat  Father  Judge  said  to  me,  that  potatoes 
are  medicine  to  you  fellov^s." 

"  A  sure  cure,"  spoke  up  everyone  at  once. 
Then  H broke  in : — 

"So  youVe  seen  Father  Judge!"  Then 
with  a  confident  smile,  as  knowing  the  inevi- 
table answer: — "  What  d'ye  think  of  him?  " 

Everyone  in  the  room  looked  up,  as  if  a 
well-worn  and  interesting  theme  of  conver- 
sation had  been  brought  up. 

"Oh,"    I    replied,    diffidently,    "I    really 

haven't  seen  anything  of  him  much.     B 

was  telling  me  down  town  that  he  is  sort  of 
popular  about  here." 

"Popular!"    echoed    H ,    in    protest. 

"  Don't  use  the  word  '  popular  '  here.  He's 
the  finest  man  that  God  ever  put  a  soul  into. 
Where'd  we  all  have  been  this  winter  without 
him,  I'd  like  to  know.  He's  just  killing  him- 
self trying  to  take  care  of  everybody." 

"  I'm  sure  he's  a  good  man,"  I  replied, 
sympathetically,  for  all  had  joined  in  silent 
but  evidently  hearty  approbation  of  my 
friend,  H .     I  continued: — 

"  You're  not  a  Catholic,  H ?  " 

"  O  that  doesn't  cut  any  figure  here.  Why, 
God  bless  me,  here's  a  bunch  of  sixteen  of  us 


Dawson   City  227 

here  now  in  the  room,  and  not  a  blessed 
CathoHc  in  the  lot  —  unless  it's  Jack,  over 
there.  But  Father  Judge  is  making  Catholics 
fast.  Never  preaches  or  talks  doctrine  or 
forms  of  faith,  you  know,  unless  you  ask 
him  or  show  him  your  mind  is  uneasy  on  that 
score.  No!  He  just  does  all  a  mortal  man 
can  do  for  you,  and  evidently  wishes  he  could 
do  more.  Then  he  jollies  you  and  goes  to 
church,  and  you  feel  you'd  give  one  of  your 
two  useless  legs  if  you  could  follow  him. 
Whist !  here  he  comes." 

As  Father  Judge  entered  the  room  with  a 
brisk  step  and  serious  mien,  every  patient 
that  could,  raised  himself  up  in  bed,  while 
all  heads  were  lifted.  Oddly  enough  there 
was  a  smile  on  every  sick  face;  only  the 
priest  looked  dull  and  old.  He  passed  at 
once  to  the  centre  bed,  containin^s:  the  man  I 
had  heard  named  as  "  Tack."  Tack  had  a 
rather  uncouth,  stolid  face.  He  tried  to  rise 
as  the  priest  approached,  reached  out  and 
took  one  of  the  priest's  hands  tenderly  in  his 

own.    H and  everyone  else  had  stopped 

all    conversation.      All    looked    on.      H 

whispered  softly  to  me: — 

"  Jack's  going  to  die.  The  scurvy's  got  up 
into  his  spleen  and  he's  all  swelled  up.  They 
all  die  when  it  e^ets  there.  Two  died  last 
w^eek   that   wa}^" 

I  was  sitting  nearest  Jack's  bed.  I  watched 


228  An  American  Missionary 

the  priest's  solemn  face  slowly  light  up  as 
from  a  glow  within.  The  age  disappeared. 
Patient  and  priest  looked  earnestly  into  each 
other's  eyes  for  a  full  half  minute.  Then  in 
the  softest  tones  ever  heard  from  a  man's 
lips,  Father  Judge  said: — 

"  I've  been  praying  for  you,  Jack.  If  it  is 
the  good  Lord's  will,  you're  going  to  get 
well.  The  medicine  is  beginning  to  come 
down  the  river.  Nurse  will  be  here  in  a 
minute  with  what  you  need.  Your  good  old 
mother  is  going  to  see  you  again  if  prayers 
and  medicine  can  avail.  Say  your  prayers, 
my  boy.  I'm  going  down  to  the  chapel  again, 
and  ril  leave  your  case  in  good  hands." 

The  priest  smoothed  back  the  sick  man's 
hair  from  his  forehead,  and  then  I  saw  the 
man  was  crying.  As  the  Father  turned  away, 
Jack  raised  the  hand  he  held  to  his  lips,  and 
kissed  it  fervently,  then  buried  his  face  in  his 
pillow. 

The  nurse  came  in,  and  the  Father,  per- 
sonally administered  the  new  medicine,  with 
thoughtful  care.  He  turned  his  attention  to 
the  rest  of  the  sick  men. 

"  Now,   Mr.   H ,   those   pillows   don't 

look  comfortable.  I've  got  a  better  one 
down  stairs.  Just  got  it  from  a  man  who  is 
going  out.  I'll  send  it  up."  "  Harry !  What 
are  you  doing  with  your  feet  out  of  bed?" 
**  Let  me  make  vou  comfortable,  Williams  " 


Dawson  City  229 

—  suitinc:  the  action  to  the  words,  and  re- 


i.c>-  bedclothes 


Then  taking  a  position  in  the  very  centre 
of  the  room : — 

''  I've  got  good  news  for  you  all."  He 
looked  around  with  a  happy  smile.  "  There's 
a  whole  scow-load  of  potatoes  just  landed! 
What  d'ye  think  of  that!  Now,  I  do  hope 
the  good  Lord  will  not  require  me  to  steal 
them." 

The  idea  of  Father  Judge  stealing  potatoes 
caused  a  breach  of  the  silence  in  a  moment. 
The  laughter  was  infectious.  Everyone 
laughed.  Jack  had  wiped  away  his  tears  and 
spoke  up  behind  the  priest's  back: — 

*'  No,  don't  you  steal  'em,  Father.  "  I'll 
steal  'em  for  you,"  at  which  there  was  an- 
other laugh. 

''  No,  my  boy,"  answered  the  priest,  "  we 
won't  have  to  steal  them.  We'll  just  pray." 
Then  as  a  merry  after-thought,  "  It's 
quicker." 

Then  suddenly  becoming  serious  again 
and  speaking  softly: — 

'*  I  wanted  you  to  know  that  the  chapel 
downstairs  is  finished,  and  there  will  be  serv- 
ices morning  and  evening.  We  cannot  give 
too  many  thanks  for  what  He  has  done  for 
us  this  winter." 

He  passed  quietly  around  the  room,  taking 
temperatures    where   the   cases    were   most 


230  An  American  Missionary 

serious,  with  a  cheerful  word  to  all,  and  a 
merry  quip  for  every  convalescent,  petting 
the  big  fellows  like  great  children,  and  every 
one  of  them  looking  the  most  profound  grat- 
itude. 

When  a  nurse  called  him  away,  he  hesi- 
tated just  long  enough  to  assume  the  most 
delicious  Irish  twang: — 

'*  Now,  don't  ye  all  be  after  getting  down- 
hearted. The  boats  do  be  coming  in  by  hun- 
dreds, and  I'm  going  out  now  to  have  them 
send  ye  down  what's  good  for  ye.    Goodbye." 

His  departure  was  the  signal  for  the  let- 
ting loose  of  a  perfect  flood  of  talk.  The 
knowledge  that  the  Father  would  be  pres- 
ently among  the  host  of  new  arrivals,  pur- 
chasing, bargaining,  and,  when  his  money 
ran  out,  begging  for  his  dearly  beloved  sick, 
was  almost  too  much  for  many  bursting 
hearts  present.  I  have  never  in  all  my  event- 
ful life  listened  to  such  a  stream  of  adulation 
for  a  living  man.  Incidents  of  the  winter 
were  related,  in  which  Father  Judge  had 
always  figured  in  absolute  self-forgetfulness. 
His  never  wavering  faith  that  the  Lord 
would  provide  for  him  and  his  sick  was  dwelt 
upon  at  length.  At  one  time  he  had  accepted 
charge  of  twenty  more  patients  than  there 
were  beds  in  the  institution,  or  bedding  for. 
Before  dark,  three  bales  of  blankets  were 
brought  on  an  unknovv^n  sleigh,  dumped  at 


Dawson  City  231 

the  door,  and  the  driver  hurried  off.  At 
another  time,  he  had  to  put  his  rapidly  in- 
creasing patients  in  an  upper,  unfinished 
room,  with  only  the  ceiling  overhead,  and  no 
roof  to  ward  off  the  summer  storms,  so 
plentiful  in  the  Yukon.  And,  as  if  in  answer 
to  prayer,  the  storms  relented,  and  it  was 
fine  for  three  weeks,  or  until  the  last  board 
of  the  roof  was  in  place.  Much  earlier,  in 
the  dead  of  winter,  he  had  been  unable  to 
get  a  hole  dug  in  the  cemetery  for  the  recep- 
tion of  one  of  the  dead,  and  had  himself 
worked  with  pick  and  shovel,  until  he  was 
about  to  give  up  in  despair,  when  in  the 
semi-darkness,  two  burly  men  came  in  from 
the  creeks  with  the  story  that  it  had  been 
borne  upon  them  that  they  were  wanted  at 
the  hospital,  and  there  they  were  to  com- 
plete the  grave  and  cover  in  the  coffin. 
The  experience  of  another  is  thus  told: — 
''  In  June,  1898,  my  father  and  I  were 
mining  on  No.  21  Below,  Lower  Discovery 
on  Dominion  Creek.  One  George  Hunt  was 
at  this  time  ill  in  the  hospital  at  Dav/son, 
and,  as  we  had  to  take  a  trip  in  for  provis- 
ions, while  there,  we  went  to  see  him.  It  was 
then  I  met  Father  Judge  for  the  first 
time,  and  never  will  I  forget  him  as  he  looked 
that  day.  One  felt  that  his  very  glance  was 
a  blessing. 

"  The  Catholic  hospital  was  then  only  two 


232  An  American  Missionary 

stories  high,  built  all  of  lo^s.  Dawson  at  that 
time  was  being  visited  by  an  epidemic,  and 
all  available  space  was  filled.  Each  room 
held  three  or  four  sick  men;  the  halls  and 
aisles  were  filled  with  cots,  leaving  just 
enough  space  for  the  nurses  to  move  around. 
Father  Judge  gave  up  his  own  room  and  bed, 
and  slept  where  he  could.  Indeed  he  hardly 
needed  a  bed,  for  he  slept  very  little  those 
days,  and  in  reply  to  the  nurses'  pleading 
that  he  take  some  rest,  he  said  that  '  when 
his  work  was  finished  he  would  have  plenty 
of  time  for  sleeping.'  The  little  ten  by  twelve 
ofiice  and  the  kitchen  were  the  only  places 
free  from  sick-cots. 

**We  did  not  see  much  of  him  on  that  trip — 
there  were  from  four  to  twelve  men  dying 
every  day,  and  his  time,  with  the  exception 
of  half  an  hour  for  saying  Mass,  was  devoted 
to  cheering  and  nursing  the  sick,  helping 
them  to  die  well,  and,  after  all  was  over,  per- 
forming the  last  rites  over  them. 

"  There  were  many  men  in  the  Yukon  that 
year  who  knew  nothing  and  cared  less  for 
religion,  and  yet  I  felt,  from  hearing  them 
talk,  that  the  love  and  respect  they  bore 
Father  Judge  amounted  almost  to  a  religion. 
One  man,  an  infidel,  once  said  to  me  that  the 
only  time  he  ever  felt  he  wanted  to  believe 
was  when  he  was  with  Father  Judge,  and  he 
thought  if  he  could  only  have  seen  more  of 


Dawson  City  233 

him   he  would  have  turned   to   the   Church 
eventually. 

"  During  this  portion  of  Father  Judge's  life 
in  the  Yukon  he  said  Mass  in  a  tent.  The 
church  had  heen  burned  down  shortly  be- 
fore, they  having  hard  work  to  save  the  hos- 
pital. The  tent  was  built  on  the  side  of  the 
hill,  which  left  a  large  open  space  under- 
neath. I  have  seen  the  attendance  at  Mass 
so  great  that  the  tent  could  not  accommo- 
date the  crowd,  and  the  space  underneath 
would  be  filled  also.  Neither  fire  nor  his 
hard  work  at  the  hospital  discouraged 
Father. 

''  It  was  well  known  in  the  Yukon  that  it 
was  only  necessary  to  let  Father  Judge  know 
you  were  in  need,  and  anything  he  had  was 
at  your  disposal.  The  only  time  I  heard  of 
his  wrapping  himself  up  well,  was  once  when 
he  gave  an  undergarment  to  a  man,  and  he 
was  hastening  home  without  it. 

"  He  once  placed  part  of  his  own  cache  at 
the  disposal  of  my  father  and  myself  when 
we  di-d  not  have  a  place  to  store  our  goods. 

"  It  is  hard  to  describe  the  influence  Father 
Judge  had  over  people  who  came  in  contact 
with  him.  I  always  felt  as  if  I  were  with  one 
who  was  goodness  itself  —  one  who  could 
see  right  into  my  heart.  He  ahvays  left  with 
me  the  feeling  that  I  wanted  to  go  off  all  by 
"nyself  and  pray.    He  rarely  smiled,  and  yet 


234  An  American  Missionary 

his  face  was  radiant  —  beaming:  with  an  in- 
describable Hght. 

"  I  returned  from  Dawson  to  the  claim, 
and  had  been  there  only  a  few  days  when 
word  was  passed  along  that  Father  Judge 
was  ill.  We  had  hardly  become  used  to  the 
thought,  when  word  w^as  passed  along  that 
he  was  dead.  Our  claim  was  about  forty 
miles  from  Dawson,  and  we  had  the  news  the 
day  after  his  death.  It  was  wonderful  how 
rapidly  the  news  spread.  It  travelled  faster 
than  a  man  could,  for  by  the  time  the  man 
who  started  with  the  news  had  taken  his  first 
meal  on  the  road  and  rested,  the  news  had 
passed  beyond  him  being  passed  along  by 
the  claim  owners.  This  will  give  you  a  faint 
idea  of  the  love  and  respect  the  men  had  for 
him,  Catholics  and  non-Catholics.  It  was  a 
terrible  shock  —  we  could  hardly  realize  that 
the  church  in  Dawson  could  get  along  with- 
out him. 

"  I  started  for  the  town  the  next  morning 
hoping  to  be  in  time  for  the  funeral,  but  was 
a  few  hours  late,  notwithstanding  the  fact 
that  I  met  a  dog  team  and  went  through  in 
one  day.  On  my  arrival  I  found  the  stores  all 
closed  as  a  tribute  of  respect,  and  all  draped 
in  black,  with  black  festoons  on  the  houses 
as  well.  The  whole  town  was  in  mourning. 
The  church  all  in  mourning  looked  very  som- 
bre with  the  pillars  entwined  with  black.    I 


Dawson   City  235 

feel  sure  there  was  not  a  person  in  the  Yukon 
that  knew  him,  who  did  not  feel  sorry  for 
himself,  but  glad  for  the  Father  whose  hard 
work  was  over  and  who  had  been  called  to 
his  rest.  Nothing  else  was  talked  of.  Of 
course  we  being  Catholics  felt  it  the  worst;  if 
the  whole  town  had  slipped  down  into  the 
river  it  would  not  have  been  more  of  a  shock. 

*'  I  was  told  that  the  Sunday  before  he  died, 
while  apparently  in  good  health,  he  told  the 
Sisters  at  the  hospital  that  his  work  here 
was  ended,  and  that  he  felt  that  God  would 
call  him  before  the  week  was  over.  Father 
Judge's  name  will  go  down  in  the  history  of 
the  Yukon  as  one  of  its  heroes,  and  I  feel 
sure  he  will  never  be  forgotten  by  any  who 
knew  him." 

About  a  month  after  the  burning  of  the 
church,  the  Missionary  had  the  joy  of  wel- 
coming to  Dawson  the  Sisters  of  St.  Ann, 
who  hastened  to  his  aid  as  soon  as  they 
could  make  their  way  up  the  Yukon.  The 
sick  in  Dawson  were  now  to  have  the  service 
that  has  been  given  on  many  a  battlefield 
and  in  thousands  of  hospitals  —  the  minis- 
trations of  those  blessed  women  to  whom 
Captain  "  Jack  "  Crawford,  who  was  in  Daw- 
son in  1898,  once  referred  in  these  glowing 
words : — 

"  On  all  God's  green  and  beautiful  earth, 
there  are  no  purer,  no  nobler,  no  more  kind- 


236  An  American  Missionary 

hearted  and  self-sacrificing  women  than 
those  who  wear  the  sombre  garb  of  CathoHc 
Sisters.  During  the  war,  I  had  many  oppor- 
tunities for  observing  their  noble  and  heroic 
work,  not  only  in  camp  and  hospital,  but  on 
the  death-swept  field  of  battle.  Right  in  the 
fiery  front  of  dreadful  war,  where  bullets 
hissed  in  maddening  glee,  and  shot  and  shell 
flew  madly  by  with  demoniac  shrieks,  where 
dead  and  mangled  forms  lay  with  pale  blood- 
flecked  faces,  yet  w^earing  the  scowl  of  battle, 
I  have  seen  the  black-robed  Sisters  moving 
over  the  field,  their  solicitous  faces  wet  with 
the  tears  of  sympathy,  administering  to  the 
wants  of  the  wounded  and  whispering  words 
of  comfort  into  the  ears  soon  to  be  deafened 
by  the  cold  implacable  hand  of  death.  .  .  . 
How  many  a  veteran  of  the  war,  who  wore 
the  Blue  or  the  Gray,  can  yet  recall  the  sooth- 
ing touch  of  a  Sister's  hand,  as  he  lay  upon 
the  pain-tossed  couch  of  a  hospital!  Can  we 
ever  forget  their  sympathetic  eyes,  their  low, 
soft-spoken  words  of  encouragement  and 
cheer  when  the  result  of  the  struggle  be- 
tween life  and  death  yet  hung  in  the  balance? 
Oh !  how  often  have  I  followed  the  form  of 
that  good  Sister  Valencia,  with  my  sunken 
eyes,  as  she  moved  away  from  my  cot  to  the 
cot  of  another  sufferer,  and  have  breathed 
from  the  most  sacred  depths  of  my  faintly- 


Dawson  City  237 

beating  heart  the  fervent  prayer:    God  bless 
her!    God  bless  her! 

''  My  friends,  I  am  not  a  Catholic,  but  I 
stand  ready,  at  any  and  all  times,  to  defend 
these  noble  women,  even  with  my  life,  for  I 
owe  that  life  to  them."  * 

We  may  say  of  the  life  of  every  Christian, 
and  especially  of  the  life  of  every  Missionary, 
what  the  Church  says  of  St.  Joseph :  "  Mis- 
cens  gaudia  fletibus  " — "  mingling  joys  with 
tears  " ;  it  is  an  alternation  of  joy  and  sor- 
row. 

Thus  to  the  pastor  of  St.  Mary's,  after  the 
sorrow  caused  by  the  fire,  came  the  joy  of 
the  Sisters'  coming;  this  in  turn  was  fol- 
lowed by  fresh  solicitude,  when,  at  the  be- 
ginning of  August,  typhoid  fever  became 
epidemic. 

Every  da}^  new  patients  were  brought  to 
the  hospital,  so  that  in  two  weeks  the  limited 
space  was  filled.  What  was  to  be  done?  We 
shall  let  Sister  Mary  of  the  Angel  Guardian 
answer.  "  The  charity  of  Father  Judge," 
she  wrote,  "  again  did  wonders.  With  the 
aid  of  devoted  and  charitable  friends,  he 
immediately  undertook  the  construction  of 
an  addition  to  the  hospital,  three  stories  high 
and  seventy  feet  long  by  twenty  wide,  and 
of  a  wing  twenty-three  feet  long  by  twenty- 
eight  wide.     The  work  was  pushed  forward 

*"  Angels  of  the  Battlefield,"  Barton,  P.  299. 


238  An  American  Missionary 

with  vigor.  As  fast  as  a  story  was  finished, 
the  sick  were  transported  into  it.  This  lodg- 
ing, even  in  its  unfinished  state,  afforded 
them  more  comfort  than  they  could  find  on 
the  damp  earthen  floor  of  their  tents.  The 
epidemic  lasted  three  long  months,  and  the 
hospital  was  always  full.  Most  of  the  sick 
found  in  this  asylum,  the  blessing  of  health, 
and  a  great  number  of  Catholics  that  of  a 
sincere  conversion." 

Here  was  work  indeed  for  the  pastor. 
Happily  the  Sisters  were  at  hand  to  lessen 
his  labors  in  the  hospital;  and  soon  the 
Oblate  Fathers  of  Mary  Immaculate  were 
to  lend  their  aid  in  the  parish  work,  and 
stretch  out  their  strong  arms  to  help  support 
the  growing  burden. 

Thanks  to  the  generosity  of  Alexander 
McDonald,  the  new  church  was  nearing  com- 
pletion without  being  a  financial  burden; 
but,  it  was  not  so  with  the  extension  of  the 
hospital  and  the  support  of  the  inmates,  to 
meet  the  expenses  of  which.  Father  Judge 
was  obliged  to  go  into  debt. 

It  must  have  been  hard  for  him  to  refuse 
anyone  admission  to  the  hospital;  and  yet, 
he  had  to  be  prudent  and  not  go  too  far  be- 
yond his  means.  The  difficulty  of  the  situa- 
tion is  thus  described  by  the  Klondike  Nug- 
get: "  Last  summer  saw  the  Father  adding 
building  after  building  in  an  effort  to  keep 


Dawson   City  239 

up  with  the  demands  upon  liis  charity.  At 
last  a  point  was  reached  which  distressed 
him  sadly  —  a  lack  of  any  more  funds  com- 
pelled the  questioning  of  applicants  as  to 
their  finances.  Hesitatingly  and  with  pro- 
fuse apology,  the  good  man  would  ask  the 
vital  question  and  ask  them  to  secure  an 
order  of  admission  from  the  Government. 
Nevertheless,  as  the  books  of  the  institution 
will  show,  the  bulk  of  the  work  at  St.  Mary's 
Hospital  has  been  done  purely  in  the  name  of 
charity;  and  this  in  a  land  of  wealth  untold." 

During  the  epidemic  there  were  in  the  hos- 
pital, besides  six  Sisters,  thirty-four  em- 
ployees, male  and  female,  whose  salary 
amounted  to  more  than  three  thousand  dol- 
lars, with  board  and  lodging. 

We  may  conclude  this  imperfect  account 
of  the  work  of  that  busy  summer  and  fall, 
with  the  Missionary's  own  words  contained 
in  the  last  letter  received  in  Baltimore  from 
him,  and  written  from  St.  Mary's  Hospital, 
Dawson  City,  under  date  of  Oct.  6th,  1898. 

'*  I  have  had  a  very  busy  summer,  the 
building  of  our  new  church  in  place  of  the 
one  burned,  and  a  large  addition  to  the  hos- 
pital, together  with  the  care  of  providing 
for  the  coming  winter,  was  no  little  work, 
and  the  large  number  of  patients  in  the  hos- 
pital for  the  past  two  months  has  kept  me 
as  busy  as  I  could  be  day  and  night.     We 


240  An  American  Missionary 

have  135  patients  at  present,  mostly  typhoid 
fever,  which  has  been  very  bad  here  this  sum- 
mer, but  the  doctors  all  agree  that  we  are 
having  unusually  good  success  in  the  hos- 
pital. 

''Our  new  church  is  very  fine  for  this  part 
of  the  world,  and  would  do  credit  to  a  much 
older  town.  It  has  cost  $25,000,  and  is  the 
gift  of  one  good  man,  Alexander  McDonald. 
I  said  the  first  Mass  in  it  on  August  21st, 
and  blessed  it,  and  then  turned  it  over  to  the 
Oblates  of  Mary,  who  have  charge  of  the 
parish  now.  I  still  have  the  care  of  the  hos- 
pital, which  is  as  much  as  I  can  attend  to 
with  the  present  number,  but  I  expect  to 
turn  it  over  to  the  Sisters  in  the  spring  and 
go  back  to  Alaska,  where  I  belong. 

"  We  have  five  or  six  hundred  at  Mass 
every  Sunday,  so  you  can  understand  what 
kind  of  town  we  have.  I  have  a  telephone  in 
my  office,  not  only  for  the  town  but  also  to 
the  creeks  (the  creeks  are  fifteen  miles  from 
Dawson).  They  are  preparing  to  give  us 
electric  light.  I  think  we  shall  have  about 
15,000  people  in  this  town  this  winter.  I 
have  met  several  Baltimore  people  here  late- 
ly, and  indeed  nearly  every  part  of  the  world 
is  represented. 

"  It  is  sad  to  see  how  many  poor  people 
have  left  good  homes  to  come  here  and  find 
themselves  without  the   necessaries  of  life, 


Dawson  City  241 

without  money  and  without  work.  I  fear 
there  will  be  much  sufferin.^  here  this  winter. 
There  are  thousands  still  in  tents,  and  winter 
is  on  us." 

Relieved  of  the  care  of  the  parish,  Father 
Judge  became  Chaplain  of  the  hospital,  and 
concentrated  all  his  devotion  and  zeal  upon 
the  work  of  that  institution. 

In  all  such  houses  it  is  desirable  to  have  a 
chapel  for  the  devotions  of  the  Chaplain  and 
the  Sisters,  and  for  the  convenience  of  the 
sick  and  convalescent.  Father  Judge  was 
engaged  on  the  construction  and  fitting  up 
of  a  chapel  for  the  hospital  when  Christmas 
came  with  its  ever-consoling  graces  and 
cheering  memories.  It  was  the  last  Christ- 
mas that  he  was  to  spend  on  earth. 

December  27th,  he  wrote  to  his  Superior 
in  Juneau.  This  letter  showed  that  he  was 
well  and  rejoicing  at  the  work  that  was  being 
done.  "  The  hospital,''  he  said,  "  continues 
to  do  much  good  for  souls,  and  saves  many 
lives."  Enclosed  was  the  program  of  an  en- 
tertainment given  on  Christmas  night  for  the 
benefit  of  St.^Mary's  Hospital. 

We  shall  let  an  eye-witness,  C.  H.  Higgins, 
give  the  details  of  the  Missionary's  life  dur- 
ing the  latter  part  of  1898: — 

"  Winter  came  on ;  the  last  boats  for  up  and 
down  the  river  left  at  the  beginning  of  Octo- 
ber, and  we  were  frozen  in  for  eight  months. 


242  An  American  Missionary 

The  days  became  shorter  fast,  snow  had  fal- 
len covering  the  mountain  peaks  and  the  en- 
tire country.  Father  Judge  liked  the  winter 
best.  '  This  part  of  the  world  is  so  beautiful 
in  its  mantle  of  purity/  he  said.  Work  had 
begun  in  earnest  on  the  creeks,  and  all  were 
settled  down  to  do  what  they  could  to  be 
ready  with  their  wash-ups  in  May,  1899, 
many  to  be  disappointed,  others  to  succeed. 

Let  us  briefly  review  one  of  Father  Judge's 
ordinary  days,  after  looking  in  at  his  only 
private  quarters.  In  the  front  room  on  the 
first  floor  of  the  hospital  building,  which  was 
the  office,  was  a  table  that  served  as  a  desk, 
a  small  book-case  containing  religious  books, 
a  wash-stand,  a  stove,  and  in  the  southeast 
corner  a  rough  board  lounge  about  two  feet 
high.  On  this  were  a  couple  of  blue  blankets, 
and  a  robe.  A  curtain  hanging  down  the 
sides  of  the  lounge  covered  a  rough  wooden 
drawer  which  served  to  contain  his  few  be- 
longings. This  was  his  room,  the  lounge 
was  his  bed.  He  thought  much  of  the  robe, 
for  it  was  the  one  Archbishop  Seghers  used, 
and  on  which  he  was  lying  when  he  was  mur- 
dered by  his  attendant. 

Father  Judge  rose  between  five  and  six, 
and  the  first  seen  of  him  was  when,  with  cas- 
sock on,  he  was  repairing  to  the  church  or 
chapel  to  say  Mass.  We  have  mentioned  be- 
fore the  very  spiritual  expression  he  always 


Dawson  City  243 

had  at  this  time,  and  the  impression  made  on 
those  who  heard  him  say  Mass.  After  his 
thanksgiving  he  went  to  the  office  where  fre- 
quently special  matters  awaited  his  atten- 
tion. He  would  spend  some  time  receiving 
patients,  hearing  poor  unfortunates  and  en- 
couraging them,  or  perhaps  he  would  be 
called  to  a  patient  very  ill,  whom  he  would 
see,  and  then  carry  to  him  the  Holy  Euchar- 
ist. After  this  he  took  off  his  cassock,  and 
became  the  manager  of  a  large  hospital.  He 
would  take  a  light  meal,  frequently  sharing  it 
with  another,  and  then  make  a  general  in- 
spection of  all  the  patients,  asking  and  an- 
swering questions.  If  anyone  were  danger- 
ously ill,  a  screen  was  put  around  the  bed,  the 
priest  would  asfain  put  on  his  cassock,  and  re- 
turn to  the  sick  one,  speakinp;  to  him  those 
words  which  in  many  cases  seemed  to  restore 
health,  or  to  make  death  easy  and  peaceful. 
This  w^as  part  of  his  daily  labors.  Do  you 
wonder,  reader,  that  all  eyes  were  turned  in 
the  direction  from  which  his  daily  visit 
came?  The  poor  patients  were  hungry  to 
see  this  man  of  Gor] ;  even  non-Catholics 
were  pleased  to  see  him,  and  it  is  well  know^n 
that  a  large  number  of  conversions  were 
made  on  those  hospital  beds. 

His  next  occupation  was  to  ^o  out  and  see 
that  the  various  persons  employed  were  do- 
ing their  w^ork  properly,  in  the  enlarging  of 


244  An  American  Missionary 

the  hospital,  the  building  of  the  church,  and 
those  things  necessary  for  the  daily  running 
of  the  institution. 

It  often  occurred  that  when  a  patient  was 
very  low  his  friends  on  the  creeks  were  ad- 
vised of  the  fact,  and  if  he  desired  services 
other  than  those  of  Father  Judge,  a  minister 
was  called.  When  a  patient  died,  if  he  were 
a  Catholic  a  Mass  was  said,  after  which  the 
friends  carried  the  body  from  the  church  to 
the  grave.  Father  Judge,  wearing  cassock 
and  surplice,  led,  an  attendant  carried  a 
lighted  candle  and  holy  water,  and  the  re- 
mains were  buried  with  solemn  ceremony. 
The  bodies  of  the  dead  were  always  carefully 
washed  and  as  neatly  attired  as  it  was  possi- 
ble, Father  several  times  giving  part  of  his 
scant  wardrobe  to  supply  some  need. 

A  large  number  of  persons  called  daily  on 
various  business  affairs,  Protestants  and 
Catholics  alike  seeking  his  advice  and  direc- 
tion. He  was  looked  up  to  as  the  one  per- 
son in  the  gold-fields  who  would  give  solid, 
unselfish,  and  truthful  direction.  All  knew 
and  spoke  of  him  as  '  Father  Judge,'  their 
friend. 

Thus  the  entire  day  was  filled  up;  and, 
though  it  was  supposed  that  he  retired  about 
eleven  o'clock,  after  he  sought  his  room,  no 
one  knew  what  rest  he  took.  At  any  hour 
of  the  night  he  might  be  seen  moving  quietly 


Dawson   City  245 

through  the  private  rooms  or  wards  of  the 
hospital,  and  he  always  insisted  that  the 
nurses  should  call  him  if  any  patient  asked 
to  see  him,  so  that  none  who  might  wish  his 
priestly  services  would  be  deprived  of  them. 

On  Sunday,  August  21st,  1898,  the  new 
church  was  dedicated  by  Father  Judge,  as- 
sisted by  the  Oblate  Fathers.  Father  Judge 
preached  a  most  striking  sermon  on  the  Real 
Presence;  no  gestures,  no  complex  sentences, 
only  plain,  forcible,  convincing  words  which 
were  understood  by  anyone  who  understood 
English.  This  was  the  great  beauty  of  his 
preaching;  it  was  always  plain,  and  so  clear- 
ly from  his  heart  that  it  sank  deep  into  the 
hearts  of  his  hearers.  In  concluding  his  ser- 
mon on  the  day  of  the  dedication,  I  remem- 
ber, he  used  a  sentence  frequently  uttered  by 
him,  "  Remember  man,  the  end  for  which  you 
were  created."  After  the  dedication  of  the 
church  Father  Judge  at  once  took  the  two 
rooms  next  to  his  office  and  bed-room  and 
made  of  them  a  small  chapel  in  which  he  per- 
formed his  priestly  duties  until  his  death. 
He  and  Father  Gendreau,  the  Superior  of  the 
Oblate  Fathers,  were  close  friends,  and  after 
he  had  turned  over  the  church  to  the  Oblates 
of  Mary  they  insisted  that  he  should  some- 
times officiate  and  preach  in  the  new  church, 
which  had  been  erected  by  Mr.  McDonald 
through  love  and  respect  for  Father  Judge 


24b  An  American  Missionary 

as  well  as  for  the  glory  and  the  worship  of 
God.  He  accepted  the  invitation  and  offi- 
ciated every  third  Sunday. 

Thus  things  went  on.  Christmas  was  ap- 
proaching, and  the  arrangements  for  the 
minstrel  performance  were  almost  com- 
plete.* It  was  necessary  to  obtain  a  halL 
We  expected,  taking  things  at  their  inflated 
values  in  Dawson,  that  a  fair  price  for  a  hall 
with  heat  and  light  would  be  from  $300  to 
$400.  We  went  to  Mr.  Joseph  Cooper, 
owner  of  the  Tivoli  Theatre,  and  explained 
our  mission.  He  said :  *  When  do  you  wish 
to  have  it?'  As  many  tickets,  at  five  dollars 
each,  had  been  sold  on  the  creeks  and  most 
of  the  men  would  come  into  town  on  Christ- 
mas day,  without  consulting  Father  Judge, 
we  told  him,  '  On  Christmas  nigfht.'  Mr. 
Cooper  replied,  '  You  go  to  Father  Judge 
and  say  I  will  give  the  hall  with  light  and 
heat  free  of  charge.'  This  was  a  most 
agreeable  surprise,  and  a  substantial  dona- 
tion. 

In  the  meantime  a  few  of  Father's  friends 
about  the  hospital  decided  that  he  must  have 
for  Christmas  a  suit  of  clothes  that  would 
better  become  the  dignity  of  his  calling.  A 
tailor  was  sent  to  get  his  measure,  but  he 
would   not   consent   to   that.     Then   we  in- 

*  To  help  pay  off  the  debt  on  the  hospital,  it  had  been  deter- 
mined to  get  up  a  minstrel  entertainment. 


Dawson  City  247 

structed  the  tailor  to  do  the  best  he  could 
to  make  up  a  suit,  which  he  did.  In  addition 
to  this,  a  fine  sealskin  coat,  reaching  to  his 
knees,  was  procured,  with  a  sealskin  cap  and 
o'loves.  One  evening  a  few  days  before 
Christmas,  Father  was  called  away  from  the 
office  by  arrangement,  and,  on  his  return,  he 
found  waiting  for  him  half  a  dozen  friends 
and  his  new  outfit.  He  was  surprised.  Then 
the  spokesman  explained. 

Father  Judge  was  much  moved  by  their 
thoughtfuiness,  but  he  told  them  that  he 
could  not  accept  the  gifts,  that  being  a  Jesuit 
priest  he  could  own  nothing,  and  he  did  not 
feel  that  he  could  accept  the  gifts  without 
the  consent  or  order  of  his  Superior. 

This  chilled  the  ardor  of  his  friends  for  a 
time,  but  they  urged  on  him  that  he  needed 
these  things,  that  his  Superior  could  not  be 
reached  without  some  person  risking  his  life 
in  going  out  over  the  ice  to  see  him,  and  that 
Father  Rene,  his  Superior,  would  not  arrive 
possibb'  for  six  months.  Tt  was  at  this  point 
that  a  friend  urged  on  the  Father  that  most 
of  the  donors  \vere  Protestants,  and  we 
think  this  had  much  to  do  with  his  finally 
accepting  the  clothes. 

All  was  now  evritement  arranofing  for  the 
great  festival  of  Christmas.  Spruce  and  pine 
boughs,  with  which  the  country  abounds, 
were  gathered  and  the  church  was  decorated. 


248  An  American  Missionary 

Father  also  cheered  his  poor  sick  men  by 
decorating  the  wards.  He  had  an  artist 
paint  the  Blessed  Virgin,  St.  Joseph,  the 
angels,  the  Wise  Men,  etc.,  on  separate 
pieces  of  cardboard;  and  these  surrounded  a 
figure  of  the  infant  Saviour,  in  a  most  beau- 
tifully arranged  crib,  the  work  of  Father 
Judge  and  the  Sisters.  All  was  now  ready, 
and  many  w^ere  waiting  for  twelve  o'clock 
Saturday  night,  to  repair  to  St.  Mary's  for 
midnight  Mass  on  the  Yukon.  Several  fine 
singers  were  to  act  as  choir;  a  small  reed- 
organ  w^as  accompanied  by  several  stringed 
instruments.  Long  before  Mass,  the  Oblate 
Fathers  were  busy  arranging  vestments, 
etc.,  for  Solemn  High  Mass,  of  which  Father 
Judge  was  to  be  celebrant.  The  choir 
took  possession  of  the  gallery,  and  the 
body  of  the  church  rapidly  filled  up 
with  many  men,  and  some  women,  from 
all  over  the  globe.  Owing  to  the  cold 
weather  their  dresses  were  of  all  kinds.  Some 
had  sweaters,  i:ome  wore  furs,  others  again 
appeared  with  their  civilization  clothes, 
making  altogether  an  odd  sight. 

All  awaited  the  coming  of  the  celebrant, 
who  most  likely,  after  seeing  his  patients 
cared  for.  went  to  his  little  chapel  to  prepare 
for  the  offering  up  of  the  Holy  Sacrifice. 

In  a  few  minutes,  while  all  was  still,  a  foot- 
step was  heard,  and  Father  Judge  was  seen 


Dawson  City  249 

advancing  up  the  middle  aisle.  Something 
seemed  to  illuminate  his  countenance  as  he 
advanced  towards  the  altar,  and  moved  to 
the  Gospel  side.  The  choir  sang  the  Adeste 
Fideles,  after  which  the  priests  turned  to- 
wards the  altar,  Father  Judge  standing  on 
the  very  spot  that,  four  weeks  later,  was  to 
be  his  tomb.  The  Mass  began  with  beauti- 
ful music,  and  was  devoutly  followed  by  the 
worshippers.  Father  Judge  read  in  English 
the  Gospel  of  the  first  Mass  on  Christmas 
Day,  after  which  he  preached  a  touching  ser- 
mon on  the  love  we  owe  to  God  for  His  com- 
ing on  earth  to  redeem  us.  Then  he  drew 
a  vivid  picture  of  the  loved  ones  of  his 
hearers  in  their  widely-scattered  homes, 
where  the  vacant  chair  was  their  one  anxiety 
that  day.  No  one  who  heard,  or  was  pres- 
ent, could  fail  to  see  that  all  were  deeply 
affected.  Strong  men  wept.  Father  urged 
those  who  had  been  successful  to  remember 
that  God  had  made  them  simply  His  stew- 
ards, and  would  demand  an  account ;  then  to 
the  majority  of  us  he  showed  that  while  we 
might  not  have  been  successful  in  earthly 
gains,  if  we  kept  close  to  God  it  would  be 
better  than  if  we  had  gained  not  only  the 
wealth  of  the  Klondike,  which  we  knew  to  be 
great,  but  of  the  whole  world.  All  were 
i3enefited  by  his  words,  and  their  sorrow 
would    have    been    great    indeed    had    the}'' 


250  An  American  Missionary 

known  that  this  was  to  be  the  last  pubHc 
utterance,  at  High  Mass,  of  our  loved  Father. 

Father  Judge  said  a  Low  Mass  after  finish- 
ing the  first  Mass,  and  later  said  his  third 
Mass  in  the  hospital  chapel. 

The  services  of  the  day  being  over  the  final 
arrangements  for  the  minstrel  entertainment 
were  made,  and  several  of  Father's  friends 
who  had  engaged  boxes  for  the  performance 
asked  him  to  share  them.  He  did  not  wish 
to  go,  but  they  begged  him  in  the  name  of 
the  hospital,  for  the  benefit  of  which  it  was 
being  held,  to  go  down  for  a  while.  Of 
course  he  knew  well  that  there  was  no  evil  in- 
tention in  choosing  that  day  for  it,  as  the 
parties  had  not  been  posted  on  the  matter, 
and  none  had  thought  of  Christmas  falling 
on  Sunday.  Indeed  it  w^as  like  a  Christian 
affair,  all  saloons  and  dance-halls  being 
closed.  So  Father  Judge  went  at  their  urgent 
request.  The  performance  was  clean,  and 
the  persons  taking  part  in  it  did  their  parts 
cleverly.  At  the  end  of  the  first  part  all  the 
performers  withdrew  except  the  interlocu- 
tor, Mr.  George  Noble,  who  arose  and,  ad- 
dressing the  audience,  pictured  our  dear 
Father  from  the  time  he  turned  his  face  to- 
wards Dawson,  mentioned  the  great  work 
he  had  accomplished,  but  never  once  used 
his  name.  In  concluding  his  address  Mr. 
Noble  referred  to  him  as  the  '  Grand  old  man 


CAPTAIX    JACK    CRAWFORD 


Dawson   City  251 

of  Dawson.'  This  was  the  sic^nal  for  the 
house  to  go  wild  with  enthusiasm,  calHng 
upon  Father  Judge.  He  finally  came  upon 
the  stage,  and  the  cheering  continued  for  five 
minutes.  It  would  have  lasted  much  longer, 
but  the  audience  saw  that  Father  was  grow- 
ing embarrassed  and  they  quieted  down. 
Then  Father  Judge  thanked  the  performers 
and  the  audience  for  their  kindness  to  the 
hospital.  This  was  the  only  time  we  saw 
him  in  his  new  clothes.  When  he  withdrew, 
the  cheering  began  again  and  continued  for 
some  time.  Everybody  was  pleased,  and  the 
hospital  was  two  thousand  dollars  richer  by 
the  entertainment. 

One  of  Father  Judge's  callers  during  that 
eventful  winter,  was  John  Wallace  Craw- 
ford, better  known  as  "  Capt.  Jack  "  or  ''  The 
Poet  Scout,"  whose  checkered  career  and 
varied  experiences  are  making  him  to-day  a 
welcome  figure  on  the  lecture  platform.  In 
characteristic  style,  the  Captain  tells  us  of 
his  visit.  Writing  to  an  old  acquaintance, 
he  says : 

"  I  was  delighted  to  get  on  to  your  trail 
when  I  met  you  at  Harrisburg,  after  our 
Klondike  experience;  and  my  thoughts  go 
back  to  the  bitter  cold  day  in  1898,  when  it 
was  40°  below  zero  and  I  left  my  little  log- 
cabin  on  the  hillside,  near  the  hospital,  and 


252  An  American  Missionary 

rushed  in  to  open  my  heart  and  soul  to  that 
martyr  for  God  and  humanity,  Father  J  udge. 

"  When  I  told  my  story  of  how  I  was  vic- 
timized by  a  hypocrite,  who  wanted  me  to 
get  rich  and  make  him  rich  by  endorsing  as 
true  his  lying  prospectus,  which  claimed 
twelve  million  dollars'  worth  of  property  in 
the  Klondike,  where  there  was  absolutely  not 
a  color  of  gold.  .  .  . 

"  '  My  son,'  he  said,  taking  me  by  the  hand, 
'  don't  hesitate  for  a  moment.  Sit  down  and 
expose  the  whole  scheme.'  Then  he  handed 
me  a  roll  of  bills,  adding:  '  Take  this,  it  will 
tide  you  over  till  you  get  something  to  do.' 
Well,  I  was  never  idle  a  moment,  as  you 
know.  I  assisted  at  some  twenty  benefits 
for  the  unfortunate,  and  gave  my  entertain- 
ment to  thousands  of  the  boys  out  on  the 
creeks,  and  in  all  my  life  I  never  had  so  much 
real  pleasure  while  assisting  others.  It  was 
not  long  until  I  built  my  own  little  shack  and 
opened  my  Wigwam,  up  near  the  Barracks, 
where  I  sold  hay  and  grain  on  commission, 
and  made  ice-cream  in  the  summer;  indeed, 
I  sold  baled  hay  and  ice-cream  over  the  same 
counter,  and  there  was  but  little  difference 
in  the  price  by  weight,  for  I  sold  baled  hay 
at  3=;c  per  lb.,  and  oats  and  corn  at  30c.  .  .  . 

"  Well,  as  I  look  back  over  the  Klondike 
trails  and  mountains,  sorrows  and  joys,  the 
great   kind    face   appears,    and   the    soul    of 


Dawson   City  253 

Father  Judge  seems  peeping  from  his 
honest  blue  eyes  into  the  tangled  brush 
of  my  own  soul,  and  I  hear  him  saying: 
*  My  son,  don't  hesitate,  sit  right  down 
and  expose  the  whole  scheme.'  And  so  this 
Christmas  Day  I  will  let  my  soul  dictate  a 
tribute  to  one  of  God's  anointed,  my  friend, 
and  the  friend  of  humanity." 

FATHER   JUDGE. 

Christ  died  for  men  and  so  did  he  — 

The  sweetest  soul  I  ever  knew, 
And  when  he  grasped  the  hand  of  me, 

His  honest  laughing  eyes  of  blue 
Dispelled  the  clouds  from  out  my  sky 

And  warmed  the  chill  from  off  my  heart; 
And  when  it  comes  my  time  to  die 

I  pray  we  won't  be  far  apart. 

But  if  there  is  a  gulf  between 

The  Father  and  the  wayward  stray, 
His  love  will  lell  what  might  have  been 

And  Christ  will  open  up  the  way. 
And  true  as  there's  a  God  above 

I  know  with  all  my  heart  and  soul 
That  all  who  suffer  for  the  love 

Of  truth,  will  reach  the  heavenly  goal. 

Not  for  a  creed  or  circumstance 

Would  he  a  helping  hand  refuse ; 
Nor  pomp,  nor  power,  nor  grand  finance 

Could  change  his  broad  and  noble  views. 
He  saw  his  duty.     Who  can  tell 

How  much  we  loved  him  in  the  West? 
But  He,  who  doeth  all  thin^s^s  well, 

To  his  tired  soul  had  whispered  "Rest." 


254  An  American  Missionary 

When  last  I  gazed  into  his  face  — 

His  dear,  dead  face,  so  truly  kind, 
A  halo  seemed  to  light  the  place 

For  God  had  left  the  smile  behind. 
And  hardy  miners  bowed  their  heads 

And  felons  wiped  a  tear  away. 
And  fever  patients  in  their  beds 

Were  conscious  of  a  loss  that  day. 

God's  martyr  —  His  adopted  son  — 

He  died,  dear  friends,  for  you  and  me; 
He  surely  died  as  Christ  had  done 

In  love,  in  truth,  in  poverty. 
I  crave  not  wealth,  nor  care  for  fame, 

Nor  wealth  nor  fame  do  I  begrudge, 
But  Lord,  permit  me  once  again 

To  clasp  the  hand  of  Father  Judge 


CHAPTER  IX. 
HIS   DEATH   AND    FUNERAL. 

I  have  fought  a  good  fight ;    I  have  finished  my  course." 

//.  Tim.  iv.,  7. 

EW  Year's  Day,  1899,  fell  on  Sunday, 
and  by  that  time  the  chapel  of  the  hos- 
pital was  so  near  completion  that  Father 
Judge  was  able  to  say  the  first  Mass  in  it. 

This  circumstance  must  have  helped  to 
make  the  day  for  him  and  the  inmates  of  the 
hospital  one  of  special  happiness. 

Each  day  of  the  following  week  he  offered 
the  Holy  Sacrifice  in  this,  the  last  of  the 
sanctuaries  that  he  was  privileged  to  estab- 
lish for  the  God  of  the  Eucharist.  On  Satur- 
day, January  7th,  he  vested  and  went  to  the 
altar,  but  feeling  ill  he  was  obliged  to  forego 
the  consolation  of  saying  Mass.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  week  of  sickness  and  pain,  the  strug- 
gle of  an  enfeebled  svstem  against  the  fever 
and  congestion  incident  to  pneumonia,  until, 
on  January  i6th  at  about  2  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  death  put  an  end  to  the  labors  of 
Dawson's  first  pastor. 

255 


256  An  American  Missionary 

We  shall  let  the  same  devoted  companion, 
whom  we  have  quoted  in  the  preceding  chap- 
ter, relate  the  incidents  of  the  Missionary's 
last  hours: — 

''  Having  some  business  of  his  to  attend  to 
on  Hunker  Creek,  I  went  to  his  room, 
knocked  on  the  door,  and  was  invited  to  en- 
ter. He  lay  on  his  rough  bed,  dressed  in  his 
cassock.  After  giving  me  instructions  about 
the  business  in  hand,  he  said  he  could  not  say 
Mass  that  day. 

"  When  I  returned  from  the  creek  he  had 
been  put  to  bed  in  the  second  room  from  the 
front  up-stairs.  From  day  to  day  he  would 
grow  worse,  and  then  rally.  Hundreds  of 
inquirers  came  daily,  and  wherever  one 
turned  the  question  was,  '  How  is  Father?' 
Any  other  name  was  unnecessary.  One 
evening,  a  few  days  before  the  end,  the 
Priests,  Sisters,  Brother  Cunningham,  three 
Indians,  a  boy  and  two  girls,  doctors  and 
nurses,  had  gathered  in  the  room  for  what 
was  supposed  would  be  his  death.  One  of 
the  Sisters  was  reading  chapters  23  and  24, 
Book  I,  of  The  Following  of  Christ.  Father's 
breathing  was  slow  and  hard,  so  the  doctor 
made  a  signal  for  the  Sister  to  stop  reading. 
Almost  at  once  Father  Judge,  to  the  sur- 
prise of  all,  spoke  out,  saying:  'Keep  on. 
Sister,  that  is  what  I  want  to  hear,'  and  after 
a  half  hour  he  rallied  and  seemed  stronger. 


His  Death  and  Funeral  257 

George  Mitchell,  an  old-time  friend  from 
down  the  river,  and  a  Protestant,  who  was 
oftener  called  Skiff  Mitchell,  came  into  the 
room  and  knelt  at  the  bedside.  Father 
opened  his  eyes  and  recognized  him,  uttering 
his  name.  Poor  Mitchell  cried,  as  many 
others  about  the  bed  did,  and  Father  said  to 
him,  'George,  why  are  you  crying?'  Of 
course,  on  account  of  his  sorrow,  the  man 
could  not  answer.  Father  continued: 
'  George,  v/e  have  been  old  friends  almost 
since  I  came  into  the  country.'  Then 
Mitchell  said:  '  Yes,  and  we  can't  afford  to 
lose  friends  like  you.'  Father  then  replied: 
'  George,  you  have  got  what  you  came  for. 
I,  too,  have  been  working  for  a  reward, 
would  you  keep  me  from  it?'  No  answer 
was  made,  as  all  were  filled  with  sorrow. 

"The  doctor  seeing  Father's  improved  con- 
dition told  all  to  leave  the  room.  Only  Mr. 
George  Burns,  an  old  down-river  friend,  and 
myself  remained.  About  midnight  Father 
said  to  Mr.  Burns:  '  George,  go  down-stairs 
and  make  me  a  cup  of  tea  as  you  used  to, 
down  the  river.'  Mr.  Burns  went  out,  and 
then  I  was  alone  with  my  good  friend.  No- 
ticing that  he  had  his  eyes  closed,  and  that 
his  lips  were  dry  from  fever,  I  took  some 
glycerine  and  water  and  moistened  them. 
He  opened  his  e3^es,  and  said,  '  Oh,  thank 
you.'     I  did  not  answer,  but  simply  looked  at 


258  An  American  Missionary 

him.  Then  he  said :  '  Kneel  down,  and  I 
will  give  you  my  dying  blessing.'  After  say- 
ing that  we  needed  him  so  badly  I  did  as  he 
ordered,  and  he  raised  his  hand  and  blessed 
me.  Soon  Mr.  Burns  returned,  and  after 
taking  the  tea  Father  dozed  until  morning. 
''  During  this  time  inquiries  continued  and 
the  town  seemed  as  if  some  calamity  were 
about  to  fall  on  it.  On  Monday,  January 
i6th,  when  I  was  returning  to  the  hospital 
from  town,  a  manager  of  one  of  the  new 
commercial  companies  called  me  to  know 
Father's  condition.  I  answered  him,  and  he 
gave  me  a  small  case  of  champagne  to  take 
to  the  doctor,  thinking  Father's  weak  stom- 
ach would  be  helped  by  it.  The  value  of  this 
wine  in  Dawson  was  thirty  dollars  a  pint.  I 
mention  this  simply  to  show  that  the  friend- 
ship of  the  giver  was  practical.  When  I 
reached  the  hospital,  I  noticed  the  noiseless 
moving  about  near  his  room,  and  seeing 
Priests,  Sisters,  and  all  gathering  there  I 
followed  and  knelt  with  the  rest.  It  was 
nearly  two  o'clock,  and  gloomy,  as  we  had 
not  seen  a  ray  of  sunlight  since  November. 
All  were  sad  and  dared  not  look  at  one  an- 
other, for  grief  was  pent  up  in  all.  Suddenly 
the  rays  of  the  sun  shot  into  the  death  cham- 
ber for  a  moment  and  again  were  gone,  and 
with  them  went  the  pure  soul  of  Father 
Judge. 


His  Death  and   Funeral  259 

*'  It  is  impossible  to  describe  the  feeHngs 
of  those  present.  The  good  Oblates  of  Mary 
had  lost  a  brother  Priest,  the  Sisters  one  who 
was  a  real  father  to  them  and  who  had  pre- 
pared the  way  for  them  to  perform  the  duties 
of  charity  they  so  cheerfully  took  up.  The 
Indians  lamented  him  pitiably.  His  com- 
panion, Brother  Cunningham,  had  lost  his 
master  and  guide,  the  physicians  and  at- 
taches of  the  hospital  their  devoted  friend 
and  helper;  but  what  of  those  who  for  two 
weeks  had  watched  in  vain  for  that  morning 
visit  of  their  protector  and  comforter?  I 
think  no  sadder  place  could  be  described  than 
the  rooms  and  wards  of  St.  Mary's  Hospital, 
when  the  inmates  learned  that  Father  Judge 
v^as  dead.  Long  afterward  they  would 
speak  of  their  '  friend  in  need.' 

"  About  the  hospital  all  hearts  were  heavy, 
yet  the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  burial 
had  to  be  made.  The  question  was  where 
should  the  grave  be?  In  a  short  time  it  was 
decided  that  Father  Judge  should  be  buried 
on  the  Gospel  side  of  the  altar,  so  that  those 
whom  he  loved  and  who  loved  him  could 
offer  their  prayers  to  God,  and  invoke  our 
dear  Father's  help  in  their  trials,  w^iich  he 
knew  so  well.  It  took  Tuesday  and  Wednes- 
day and  part  of  Thursday  to  dig  the  grave. 
Mr.  George  Burns,  of  whom  mention  has 
been  made,  arranged  for  the  casket  in  which 


260  An  American  Missionary 

Father  Judge's  remains  were  interred.  It 
was  a  magnificent  one,  considering  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  place,  and  he  would  not  give 
any  information  about  the  cost.  I  learned 
positively  that  it  cost  a  thousand  dollars.  .  . 
On  Thursday  night  the  remains  were  moved 
from  the  chapel  to  the  church,  for  the  fu- 
neral. Mr.  John  Mattler  of  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, and  I  took  turns  in  watching  that  the 
burning  candles  should  do  no  damage.  His 
turn  was  up  at  ii  P.  M.  and  I  remained  until 
4  A.  M.  It  was  bitterly  cold,  and  to  keep 
comfortable  it  was  necessary  to  walk  up  and 
dow^n  the  aisle.  Besides,  at  that  time,  we 
had  but  a  couple  of  hours  of  faint  light  at 
mid-day,  and  one  might  say  it  was  continu- 
ous night.  During  my  watch  the  weird 
howling  of  wolves  and  malamute  dogs  was 
constant,  yet  there  seemed  to  be  nothing  to 
fear;  for  there,  with  that  strange  dignity  on 
his  face,  lay  our  good  friend  who  seemed 
only  sleeping,  and  ready  to  answer  our  call 
for  assistance,  as  he  always  did  in  life." 

As  we  said  in  the  beginning  of  this  narra- 
tive, God  has  not  ceased  to  speak  to  men,  and 
we  know  not  how  often  He  gives  some  warn- 
ing or  presentiment  of  the  approach  of  death. 
We  know  that  to  the  Saints  the  knowledge 
of  the  time  of  their  death  has  been  frequently 
granted.     St.  Stanislas  Kostka,  two  weeks 


His  Death  and  Funeral  261 

before  his  death,  asserted  that  he  would  cer- 
tainly die  before  the  end  of  that  month;  a 
few  days  later  he  expressed  the  hope  that  he 
would  spend  in  Heaven  the  feast  of  the  As- 
sumption (the  15th  of  August) ;  on  the  14th, 
in  the  morning,  he  said  that  he  would  die 
that  night,  and  in  fact  he  did  die  very  early 
in  the  morning,  August  15th. 

It  seems  very  clear  that  Father  Judge  had 
a  presentiment  of  his  death.  He  said  during 
his  illness  that  he  would  die  on  Monday,  the 
i6th.  When  the  Sister  who  attended  him 
said,  "  Oh,  no!  Father,  you  are  not  going  to 
die;  we  shall  pray  hard,  and  you  will  not 
die,"  he  answered  with  a  sort  of  cheerful 
assurance,  "  You  may  do  what  you  please, 
but  I  am  going  to  die/* 

By  a  strange  coincidence,  thirty-three 
years  before,  his  mother  was  taken  ill  on 
January  8th  and  died  on  the  i6th,  and  this 
loving  son  began  his  struggle  with  death  on 
the  8th  and  expired  on  the  i6th  of  the  same 
month. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  how  firmly  con- 
vinced were  the  friends  or  attendants,  who 
heard  him  speak  of  the  day  of  his  death,  that 
it  was  the  anniversary  of  his  birth.  This 
error  can  be  explained  only  by  supposing 
that,  when  the  worn-out  missionary  spoke 
of  that  day  as  his  "  birthday,"  he  was  using 


262  An  American  Missionary 

the  language  of  the  Saints,  and  we  may  say, 
of  the  Church ;  and  that  he  meant  to  say, 
perhaps  half  playfully,  that  it  would  be  the 
day  of  his  birth  to  a  better  life. 

He  could  not  have  forgotten  that  he  was 
born  on  April  28th ;  for,  in  his  family  it  had 
been  the  custom  to  celebrate  and  make  much 
of  "birthdays  f  and  that  custom  contributed 
to  impress  the  dates  indelibly  on  the  minds 
of  the  children. 

Divine  Providence  surrounded  the  faithful 
priest  in  his  last  illness  with  all  the  consola- 
tions of  religion.  For  some  years,  Father 
Judge  had  passed  months  without  seeing  a 
fellow  priest;  and,  if  death  had  overtaken 
him  then,  he  would  have  been  deprived  of  the 
helps  that  the  Church  affords  her  children 
in  their  last  hours.  But,  when  his  time  came, 
though  in  a  place  where,  three  years  before, 
there  would  have  been  no  hope  of  seeing  a 
priest,  he  found  not  only  the  affectionate 
ministration  of  the  priest,  with  daily  Com- 
munion during  his  illness,  but  also  the 
gentle  and  solicitous  care  of  devoted  and 
pious  Sisters. 

Is  it  not  easy  to  see  here  the  realization  of 
the  beautiful  thought  expressed  by  a  holy 
soul  in  these  words? — "  Give  yourselves  un- 
reservedly to  God,  love  Him  and  seek  for 
nothing  out  of  Him,  and  the  day  will  come 


His  Death  and  Funeral  263 

when  you  will  fall  asleep  on  His  Divine 
Heart,  to  waken  in  His  o^lory."* 

The  first  announcement  to  the  outside 
world  of  the  Missionary's  end,  was  a  para- 
graph in  the  daily  papers  of  Fehruary  nth, 
1899,  which  read:  "  Father  Judge  is  Dead. 
An  Associated  Press  dispatch  from  Dawson 
City,  Alaska,  via  Seattle,  announces  the 
death  from  pneumonia  of  Rev.  Wm.  H. 
Judge,  S.  J." 

Owing  to  the  lack  of  telegraphic  com- 
munication, it  had  taken  twenty-five  days  for 
the  news  to  reach  Seattle ;  and  the  meagre- 
ness  of  the  information  left  relatives  and 
friends  in  a  state  of  suspense  until,  some  ten 
days  later,  the  following  letter  was  received 
from  the  Prefect  Apostolic  of  Alaska : — 

Juneau,  Alaska,  Feb.  12,  1899. 

To  Rev.  Father  C.  J.  Judge,  S.  S., 

St.  Charles  College, 

EUicott  City,  Md. 
Rev.  and  Dearest  Father: 

The  last  letter  I  had  from  your  dearly  be- 
loved brother.  Father  William  Judge,  was 
dated  Dawson,  December  27th,  1898.  He 
was  well  then,  and  rejoicing  at  the  work  done 
at  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  "The  hospital," 
said  he,   "  continues  to  do  much  good  for 

♦Mother  M.  of  St.  Euphrasia  Pelletier. 


264  An  American  Missionary 

souls,  and  saves  many  lives."  He  enclosed 
in  his  letter  the  program  of  an  entertainment 
given  there  on  Christmas  night,  for  the  bene- 
fit of  St.  Mary's  Hospital. 

Great,  therefore,  v^as  my  sorrov^,  and  pain- 
ful my  surprise,  w^hen  the  mail  from  Dawson 
brought  us  today  the  unexpected  news  of 
the  sickness  of  your  brother  on  January  8th 
and  his  happy  death  on  January  i6th.  The 
Holy  Will  of  God  be  done !  It  is  a  hard  blow 
to  all  his  relations  and  friends,  and  especially 
to  our  Mission.  We  have  all  suffered  an  im- 
mense loss,  but  God  knows  better  than  our- 
selves what  was  best  for  our  dear  Father,  and 
for  our  Mission.  Our  Lord  was  satisfied 
with  his  good  works  in  this  world,  and  called 
him  to  his  reward  and  to  a  better  life,  where 
there  are  no  more  toils,  and  hardships,  and 
trials  of  all  kinds,  but  everlasting  joy  and 
peace. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  reverend  and  dear 
Father,  when  I  visited  him  last  summer,  I 
was  very  much  struck  by  a  change  which  had 
come  over  him  and  gave  to  his  words  and 
actions  a  calm  and  serenity,  which  appeared 
to  me  of  a  supernatural  character,  and  re- 
sembled the  heavenly  peace  of  the  blessed. 
I  made  the  remark  to  many  of  our  Fathers 
at  the  time.  In  the  midst  of  his  toils  and 
fatigues,  day  and  night,  he  felt  perfectly 
happy   and   contented,    and    superabounded 


His  Death  and  Funeral  265 

with  consolations.  I  see  by  the  particulars 
which  have  just  been  forwarded  to  me  from 
Dawson  concerning  his  death,  that  this  con- 
dition of  his  soul  was,  by  a  special  grace  of 
God,  the  same  up  to  his  last  moment ;  for  he 
was  conscious  up  to  the  end,  and  all  his  utter- 
ances expressed  the  happiness  of  his  soul. 
Therefore  I  say,  we  his  friends  and  brothers 
in  Christ,  weep  not  over  him  without  con- 
solation, like  those  who  have  no  faith  and 
consequently  no  hope.  Let  us  pray  for  him, 
but  at  the  same  time  thank  God  for  such  a 
death  after  such  a  life  of  heroic  deeds  of 
charity. 

Our  beloved  Father,  according  to  the  let- 
ter of  one  of  the  employees  in  the  hospital, 
was  suffering  from  congestion  of  the  right 
lung  and  pleurisy  accompanied  by  fever.  On 
January  12th,  Dr.  Barrett,  his  physician,  said 
that  his  fever  had  fallen  from  104°  to  loi''; 
also  that  the  inflammation  was  subsiding  and 
his  condition  somewhat  improved,  but  owing 
to  his  poor  general  health  he  was  not  entirely] 
out  of  danger,  and  in  case  of  any  further 
complications  arising,  the  result  might  prove 
fatal.  Your  brother  thought  it  prudent  to 
constitute  a  board  of  trustees,  to  look  after 
his  affairs,  and  appointed  a  board  of  direc- 
tors to  conduct  and  manage  the  hospital,  un- 
der the  supervision  of  Sister  Mar}^  Zeph^^rin, 
who  was  superintending  the  institution  dur- 


266  An  American  Missionary 

ing  his  illness.  He  expressed  himself  as 
fully  resigned,  and  remarked, — "  If  our  dear 
Lord  is  about  to  call  me  to  my  reward,  I  am 
prepared."  Our  Father  was  very  happy, 
despite  his  sad  affliction.  Yet  all  sincerely 
hoped  and  prayed  that  God  would  spare  him 
a  little  while  longer,  as  Dawson  could  ill 
afford  to  lose  him.  All  seemed  fully  to 
realize  it,  as  there  were  constant  inquiries, 
both  in  person  and  over  the  telephone,  solicit- 
ing news  of  his  condition.  He  has  erected  a 
monument  to  God  and  dedicated  to  man  a 
hospital,  which  has  been  a  haven  of  refuge 
to  the  poor  afflicted  sick  of  Dawson. 

Father  Desmarais,  O.  M.  L,  prepared  him, 
in  the  absence  of  the  Vicar  General,  Father 
Gendreau,  to  receive  the  Holy  Rites  of  the 
Church,  and  he  had  the  happiness  every 
morning,  a  little  after  midnight,  of  receiving 
Holy  Communion  as  Viaticum. 

On  January  i6th,  a  further  communication 
was  forwarded  to  me,  as  follows: — "It  is 
with  great  sorrow^  that  I  inform  you  of  the 
sad  news  of  the  death  of  our  much  lamented 
Father  William  H.  Judge,  w^hich  occurred  at 
ten  minutes  before  two  o'clock  this  after- 
noon, he  receiving  the  Holy  Rites  of  the 
Church,  surrounded  by  Father  Desmarais,  O. 
M.  I.,  Brother  B.  Cunningham,  S.  J.,  and  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Ann,  who  were  in  constant  at- 
tendance, anticipating  every  desire;  a  service 


His  Death  and  Funeral  207 

which  was  performed  with  such  grace  and 
gentleness,  as  only  they  possess.  He  suf- 
fered considerably  during  the  last  three  days, 
but  rested  comparatively  easy  from  about 
seven  o'clock  this  morning  until  our  Divine 
Lord  was  pleased  to  release  him  from  the  life 
which  he  so  nobl}^  sustained  through  his 
magnificent  character,  strong  religious  zeal, 
and  great  faith  in  God. 

Rev.  Father  Gendreau  arrived  about  four 
o'clock  this  afternoon,  and  greatly  lamented 
being  too  late;  he  was  on  the  creeks 
visiting  the  various  missions,  and  unfortu- 
nately the  news  did  not  reach  him  until  yes- 
terday, when  further  travel  was  impossible." 

Father  Gendreau  himself  wrote  on  Janu- 
ary i8th,  to  explain  how,  when  he  started 
for  his  visit  to  the  mines,  nothing  had  led 
him  to  suspect  that  your  beloved  brother 
would  fall  sick,  as  he  did  on  the  following 
day.  The  Oblate  Fathers  had  invited  him 
to  dine  with  them  on  the  Feast  of  the  Epiph- 
any, January  6th.  Father  Gendreau  had  in- 
formed him  that  he  intended  to  start  for  a 
visit  to  the  Missions  in  the  mines.  Our 
Father  had  approved  of  his  plan,  and  lent 
him  his  own  sleigh  and  dogs  for  the  journey. 
At  the  moment  of  starting,  Father  Gendreau 
went  to  shake  hands  with  your  brother, 
whom  he  found  in  good  health.  Thus  3^ou 
see  how  unexpected  was  the  approaching  de- 


268  An  American  Missionary 

cease  of  our  dear  Father,  and  how  friendly 
all  the  Missionaries  were  Hving  together. 

The  same  Father  Gendreau,  in  a  letter 
dated  January  20th,  gives  the  following  par- 
ticulars of  the  funeral  services  of  the  Apostle 
of  Dawson :  ''  Every  day,  from  Monday  up 
to  Friday,  the  Office  of  the  Dead  was  recited 
at  8  P.  M.  around  his  remains.  They  were 
brought  up  to  the  church  on  Thursday  even- 
ing, and  people  watched  over  them  the  whole 
night.  There  was  High  Mass  at  eleven 
o'clock  on  Friday,  with  deacon  and  sub- 
deacon:  Father  Gendreau  was  celebrant. 
Father  Desmarais,  deacon,  and  Father  Cor- 
beil,  sub-deacon.  Father  Lefebre  directed 
the  choir.  The  crowd  was  immense;  many 
people  could  not  find  room  inside.  At  the 
end.  Father  Desmarais  spoke  in  praise  of  the 
lamented  Missionary,  who  had  done  so  much 
and  given  his  life  for  the  welfare  of  the 
miners  in  the  Klondike.  Father  Gendreau 
also  spoke.  The  government  officials,  all  the 
prominent  citizens,  and  even  the  Protestant 
ministers  were  all  there.  The  church  was 
magnificently  decorated  for  the  occasion. 
The  mourning  was  general;  flags  were  at 
half-mast  and  stores  were  closed  on  that  day 
from  9  A.  M.  to  2.  P.  M." 

Allow  me  to  enclose  in  this  letter  the  lead- 
ins:  article  of  the  local  newspaper  in  Dawson. 

Your  beloved  brother  was  buried  in  a  vault 


His  Death  and  Funeral  269 

near  the  ahar,  on  the  Gospel  side,  in  that 
church  which  was  erected  by  his  indefatig- 
able zeal  last  summer,  on  the  same  lot  as  the 
former  one,  but  of  larger  proportions.  I 
forward  you  a  copy  of  the  photograph  of  that 
church,  that  you  may  form  a  better  idea  of 
the  place  where  lie  the  remains  of  your  saint- 
ly brother. 

Yours  very  sincerely  in  Christ, 

J.  B.  Rene,  S.  J., 
Pref.  Ap.  Alaska. 

The  article  in  the  Dawson  paper,  the  Klon- 
dike Nugget,  to  which  the  Very  Rev.  Prefect 
Apostolic  alludes,  thus  described  the  sad 
event: — ''Rev.  Father  Judge  is  Dead — He 
yields  up  his  life  surrounded  by  many  of  his 
friends — His  splendid  work  in  Dawson — 
*  Charity,  Sweet  Charity,'  his  ruling  motive 
— A  good  man's  work — A  living  faith. 

"  The  Rev.  Father  Judge  is  no  more. 
'  Father '  Judge,  as  all  loved  to  call  him, 
Catholics  and  Protestants  alike,  died  at  the 
hospital  he  has  cared  for  so  long  and  loving- 
ly, on  Monday  afternoon,  January  i6th,  at 
1.50.  The  Father's  faith  was  as  real  as  his 
Christianity,  and  almost  his  last  words  to  the 
friends  around  his  death-bed  were:  'This  is 
the  happiest  moment  of  my  life;  I  have 
worked  for  this  many  years;  I  am  going  to 
my  reward.'    Each  spasm  of  pain  during  his 


270  An  American  Missionary 

last  excruciating  illness,  was  welcomed  de- 
voutly as  the  wish  of  an  all-wise  and  chasten- 
ing Father;  and  calmly  and  serenely  the 
good  Missionary  glided  into  the  eternity, 
which  has  occupied  so  much  of  his  thoughts 
here  upon  earth. 

"  The  day  of  his  death,  strange  to  say,  was 
his  forty-ninth  birthday,*  and  it  was  upon 
the  same  day  thirty-three  years  ago  that  he 
lost  his  mother.  Four  years  ago,  on  the 
same  day,  he  nearly  lost  his  life  from  freez- 
ing. To  his  intimate  friends,  during  his  ill- 
ness, he  confided  the  fact  that  he  hardly  ex- 
pected to  live  over  that  fateful  day;  and,  as 
the  time  arrived,  the  more  certain  of  this  he 
became.  Friends  were  summoned  and 
'  good-bys '  were  said — the  Father  as 
cheerful  and  contented  as  at  any  time  in  his 
history,  and  himself  speaking  words  of  com- 
fort to  the  big,  yet  weeping  pioneers,  whom 
he  had  known  so  long  and  served  so  faith- 
fully.    .     .     . 

"  Of  his  private  life  there  is  not  much  to 
tell.  On  a  hard  couch  in  his  office,  by  the 
front  entrance  to  the  hospital,  he  spent  the 
few  hours  devoted  to  sleep,  ready  at  an  in- 
stant's notice  to  respond  to  night-callers  and 
to  the  querulous  calls  of  sickness.  A  stand- 
ing order  with  nurses  and  watchmen  was 
tliat,  no  matter  what  the  hour,  or  how  un- 

*We  have  explained  above  the  source  of  this  error. 


His  Death  and  Funeral  271 

necessary  the  call,  he  was  to  be  instantly 
awakened  if  patients  desired  his  presence. 

"  Loved  sincerely  and  genuinely  by  every- 
one attached  to  the  institution,  the  '  Good 
Father  Judge,'  as  he  was  affectionately 
known  to  all,  will  receive  the  last  sad  rites  of 
his  church  on  Friday  next  at  eleven  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon,  and  his  remains  will  be  laid 
to  rest  in  a  vault  constructed  under  the  sa- 
cred building,  in  which  he  has  so  often  led 
the  services/' 

A  Seattle  paper  of  February  17th,  thus  re- 
ferred to  the  peculiar  circumstances  to  which 
we  have  called  attention:  ''The  deceased 
was  forty-nine  years  of  age,  his  death  occur- 
ring on  the  anniversary  of  his  birth. 

"  A  strange  circumstance  connected  with 
the  death  of  Father  Judge  was  his  prediction 
of  the  date  on  which  it  would  occur.  From 
the  beginning  of  his  illness  he  felt  that  he 
would  die;  and,  to  intimate  friends,  he  said 
his  death  would  take  place  on  his  birthday, 
January  i6th." 

Nobody  could  better  tell  us  of  the  death  of 
the  Pastor  and  Chaplain  than  the  devoted 
Sister  Mary  Zephyrin,  who  attended  him 
during  his  illness.  With  a  delicate  charity 
she  wrote  to  the  youngest  sister  of  the  de- 
parted priest,  while  his  body  was  still  lying 
in  the  hospital.  From  that  letter  wx  extract 
the  following  lines :     "  Never  were  pra3^ers 


272  An  American  Missionary 

more  fervently  offered  for  a  devoted  Pastor's 
preservation,  than  ours  were  for  him;  and  it 
w^as  only  two  hours  before  he  breathed  forth 
his  pure,  noble  soul,  that  our  hopes  were 
blasted.     .     .     . 

"  Of  his  holy  sojourn  here  below,  all  that 
we  could  say  would  be  but  the  faint  shadow 
of  the  reality;  for  his  was  certainly  an  ideal 
life.  The  spirit  of  self-sacrifice,  that  actuated 
him  in  every  word  and  deed,  proved  how 
zealously  he  strove  to  attain  that  degree  of 
perfection,  which  has  been  so  eagerly 
sought  after  by  the  Saints,  in  whose  foot- 
steps he  trod  as  closely  as  possible.     .     .     . 

"  Could  you  have  shared  our  happiness,  as 
we  all  knelt  by  his  bedside,  in  receiving  one 
of  the  many  blessings  he  gave ;  in  listening  to 
the  pious  words  addressed  to  many  of  his 
most  intimate  friends,  who  called  to  bid  him 
*  farewell';  in  witnessing  the  look  of  peace 
and  happiness  portrayed  on  his  countenance, 
as  he  spoke  of  his  desire  to  be  called  forth 
from  this  world  to  enjoy  for  evermore  the 
company  of  our  Blessed  Saviour,  whom  he 
loved  so  ardentlv,  nnd  his  entire  submission 
to  the  Holy  Will  of  God,  which  was  one  of 
the  faithful  maxims  of  his  life,  you  would  be 
consoled  and  fully  convinced  of  how  well 
prepared  this  loved  brother  was  to  meet  the 
Creator.''     .     .     . 

The  following  account  from  the  *'  Klon- 


His  Death  and  Funeral  273 

dike  Nugget  "  of  January  21st,  will  best  de- 
scribe the  funeral  of  Dawson's  first  Pastor: 
''  All  Dawson  mourns  the  death  of  Father 
Judge.  There  is  scarcely  a  man  in  the  entire 
community,  who,  at  some  time  or  other,  has 
not  come  into  personal  contact  with  the  work 
of  that  noble  priest,  who,  on  Friday  morning, 
amid  the  solemn  services  of  his  Church,  was 
laid  to  rest  beneath  the  edifice  which  stands 
as  a  lasting  monument  to  his  efforts  as  a 
philanthropist.  The  esteem,  in  which  the 
benevolent  Father  was  so  universally  held,  is 
well  attested  by  the  great  throng  which  as- 
sembled to  witness  the  last  sad  ceremony. 

*'  At  an  early  hour  groups  of  sorrowful 
mourners  began  to  arrive;  and,  long  before 
the  hour  for  the  funeral,  the  large  church  was 
crowded  to  overflowing.  The  sides  and  ceil- 
ing of  the  church  were  beautifully  draped  in 
mourning,  as  were  also  the  pillars  which  sup- 
port the  roof.  Around  the  altar  and  forming 
an  effective  background  for  numerous  waxen 
tapers,  the  sombre  black  and  white  were 
gracefully  intertwined. 

''  Before  the  altar,  in  the  centre  of  the 
broad  aisle,  was  the  beautiful  casket  con- 
taining the  remains  of  the  departed  Father. 
Surrounding  the  casket  were  tall  standards 
bearing  lighted  tapers,  which  threw  a  soft 
light  upon  the  peaceful  features  of  the  dead. 
Perfectly  serene  he  lay  and  with  every  indi- 


274  An  American  Missionary 

cation  of  having  fallen  into  quiet  restful 
repose. 

*'  The  solemn  and  impressive  requiem 
Mass  of  of  the  Catholic  Church  w^as  per- 
formed by  Rev.  Father  Gendreau,  who  suc- 
ceeds Father  Judge  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's 
Church,  assisted  by  Fathers  Desmarais  and 
Corbeil.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  cere- 
monial portion  of  the  services,  Father 
Desmarais  addressed  the  assembly  with 
touching  words.  He  reviewed  the  Hfe 
of  the  departed  from  childhood,  when 
he  first  manifested  an  interest  in  spiritual 
matters  and  indicated  his  desire  for  the 
priesthood.  During  school  and  college  days, 
he  was  held  in  high  regard  by  masters  and 
fellow  students  alike.  Since  his  ordination 
as  a  priest,  important  duties  had  been  as- 
signed to  him,  and  all  were  fulfilled  in  a  most 
worthy  and  creditable  manner. 

"  His  work  as  a  Missionary  at  Circle  City 
and  Forty  Mile  was  spoken  of  with  great 
feeling,  and  many  an  old-timer  went  back  in 
his  memory  to  the  days  when  Father  Judge 
was  ministering  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the 
miners  in  the  lower  country.  His  efforts 
and  successes  among  the  Indians  were  also 
referred  to  by  the  speaker,  whose  personal 
affection  for  Father  Judge  was  made  mani- 
fest in  every  word  spoken. 

"  Father  Desmarais  dwelt  at  length  upon 


His  Death  and  Funeral  275 

the  work  of  the  deceased  since  his  arrival  in 
Dawson.  Ahnost  through  his  own  unaided 
efforts  St.  Mary's  church  was  founded;  and, 
in  connection  with  it,  Father  Judge  reaUzed 
a  long-cherished  wish,  when  he  found  him- 
self enabled  to  proceed  with  the  construction 
of  the  hospital. 

**  The  fire  of  last  spring,  which  entirely 
destroyed  the  first  church  building,  in  no 
wise  discouraged  the  zealous  priest;  and 
he  set  to  work  with  renewed  vigor  upon  the 
plans  for  the  present  structure,  a  building 
far  more  commodious  and  better  adapted 
for  the  purpose. 

''  Through  his  untiring  energy  and  zeal, 
the  accommodations  of  St.  Mary's  Hospital 
were  extended  until  its  present  capacity  was 
reached:  but  the  accomplishment  of  the 
heavy  tasks  he  had  set  himself,  proved  too 
heavy  a  drain  upon  a  naturally  weak  physical 
organism;  and  at  length  his  life  was  laid 
down  in  the  service  to  which  his  best  years 
had  been  consecrated. 

"  With  a  touching  tribute  to  the  dead,  and 
a  rehearsal  of  his  own  intimate  relations 
with  him,  Father  Desmarais  concluded  his 
address. 

"  Father  Gendreau,  successor  to  Father 
Judge  as  pastor  of  St.  Mary's,  then  spoke 
briefly  in  reference  to  the  many  virtues  of  the 
deceased;  and  told  of  his  own  feeling  of  re- 


276  An  American  Missionary 

sponsibility  in  taking  up  a  work  began  by 
such  able  hands.  His  remarks  impressed 
themselves  deeply  upon  all. 

''  The  audience  were  then  invited  to  pass 
up  the  aisles  and  view  the  remains,  while 
the  choir  in  the  gallery  filled  the  church  with 
the  sweet  harmonies  of  '  Nearer  My  God 
to  Thee.' 

*'  The  music  throughout  the  ceremony 
was  beautifully  rendered.  The  pall-bearers 
were  Messrs.  M.  J.  Sullivan,  Geo.  Burns, 
Thos.  Chisholm,  Dr.  McFarlane,  Dr.  Bar- 
rett, and  Mr.  Stevens." 

When  the  news  of  the  Missionary's  death 
was  verified,  steps  were  taken  to  have  suit- 
able funeral  services  in  Baltimore,  while 
many  private  Masses  were  offered  for  the  re- 
pose of  his  soul. 

On  March  6th  a  solemn  Mass  of  Requiem 
was  suns:  in  St.  Ignatius'  Church,  which  the 
departed  priest  had  loved  so  well. 

The  celebrant  of  the  Mass  was  Rev.  C.  J. 
Judge,  of  St.  Charles'  Colles^e,  a  brother  of 
the  dead  priest.  Rev.  J.  H.  Richards,  of 
Frederick  City,  was  deacon,  and  Rev.  Law- 
rence Kelly,  of  Loyola  College,  sub-deacon. 

Rev.  John  A.  Morgan,  President  of  Loyola 
College,  preached.  In  referring  to  the  life  of 
Father  Judge,  he  said:  "He  was  an  honor  to 
Maryland,  to  the  city  of  Baltimore,  and,  we 
might  say,  to  this  special  congregation.  .  .  . 


His  Death  and  Funeral  277 

He  was  unquestionably  a  born  Missionary; 
and,  in  conjunction  with  Father  Barnum, 
also  of  this  city,  has  accomplished  a  great 
work,  which  will  be  felt  in  the  future." 

When,  in  the  summer  of  1899,  the  Oblate 
Fathers  decorated  the  interior  of  St.  Mary's 
Church  in  Dawson,  space  was  reserved  on 
the  wall  of  the  Sanctuary,  at  the  Gospel  side 
of  the  altar,  for  the  following  inscription: 

Hie  est  sepultum,  donee  resurgat, 
corpus  P.  Guil,  H.  Judge,  S.  J. 

viri  charitate  pleni, 

qui  primus,  in  civitate  Dawson, 

aegris  habitaculum 

Deo  templum 

cunctis  cooperantibus  erexit 

universaque  plebe  lugente 

pie  decessit  in  Dno. 

Die  16  Jan.  1899 


CHAPTER  X. 

TRIBUTES   OF  RESPECT   AND   AFFECTION. 

"  Greater  love  than  this  no  man  hath,  that  a  man  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  friends." — John  xv.,  13. 

MEN  are  often  ungrateful;  so  great  is  self- 
love,  so  strong  the  instinct  of  self-pres- 
ervation, so  deep-rooted  the  love  of  comfort, 
that  benefactors  are  sometimes  forgotten; 
but  there  is  scarcely  a  human  heart  that  can 
hold  out  in  cold  disregard  of  spontaneous, 
cordial,  and  disinterested  charity.  Especially 
does  the  heart  of  man  respond  to  kindness 
and  good  offices,  corporal  or  spiritual,  be- 
stowed at  the  expense  of  the  giver,  above  all 
when  those  gracious  acts  cost  the  donor 
pain,  sickness,  or  death. 

Human  experience  confirms  the  wisdom  of 
God's  plan  of  redemption.  He  has  under- 
taken to  win  the  heart  of  man  by  love,  show- 
ing that  love  by  benefits  and  by  personal 
suffering  even  unto  death.  This  is  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus,  to  which 
we  have  seen  Father  Judge  had  so  tender  a 
devotion.    By  loving  the  Heart  of  Jesus,  this 

278 


Tributes  of   Respect  and  Affection         279 

whole-souled  apostle  had  come  in  some  de- 
gree to  imitate  It,  in  kindness,  devotion,  and 
self-sacrificing  charity.  And  now  that  this 
work  of  love  was  finished,  men  realized  how 
beautiful,  how  sweet,  his  charity  had  been. 
Since  his  death,  many  heartfelt  tributes  have 
been  given  to  his  zeal  and  charity,  the  most 
noteworthy  of  which  we  reproduce  in  this 
closing  chapter. 

The  Klondike  Nugget  of  January  2ist, 
1899,  voiced  the  sentiments  of  Dawson's 
citizens  in  these  strikingly  earnest  words: 
"  The  sudden  end  of  the  much-loved  Rev. 
Father  Judge  was  not  only  a  distinct  shock 
to  the  community,  but  an  irretrievable  loss 
also.  There  are  good  men  in  the  world 
plentiful  enough;  but  there  is  no  one  here 
who  can  take  up  the  Father's  good  work 
with  the  disinterestedness  and  unselfishness 
of  Father  Judge,  or  can,  in  less  than  a  dec- 
ade, win  such  individual  trust  as  all  felt  for 
this  physically  feeble,  yet  charitably  strong 
man. 

"Tnr>timerable  instances  of  the  devoutness 
of  his  faith,  broad-minded  charity,  and  great 
benevolenre,  could  be  cited,  if  any  there  were 
in  our  midst  to  be  convinced;  but  there  are 
none.  We  all  knew  him,  and  an  enumeration 
of  his  virtues  would  apnear  needless. 

"  Tv.p  following  resolutions  by  the  Citi- 
zens' Relief  Committee  show  somethinsr  of 


280  An  American  Missionary 

the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held :  *  At  a  meet- 
ing held  by  the  Citizens'  Relief  Committee, 
at  the  office  of  the  United  States  Consul  at 
Dawson,  January  i8th,  1899,  it  was  resolved: 

**  That  we,  the  members  of  the  above  com- 
mittee, desire  to  express  our  keen  sense  of 
the  irreparable  loss,  which  this  committee, 
in  common  with  the  entire  community,  sus- 
tained in  the  death  of  its  esteemed  member, 
Father  Judge. 

**We  feel  our  absolute  helplessness  when 
we  attempt  to  adequately  express  our  appre- 
ciation of  such  a  career  as  his,  consecrated  to 
the  cause  of  humanity;  so  sublime  an  in- 
stance of  a  life's  devotion  to  the  amelioration 
of  distress,  with  no  sordid  ambition  or  hope 
for  earthly  reward,  but  simply  doing  good 
and  loving  virtue  for  its  own  sake.  With  a 
childlike  simplicity  of  heart  was  combined  a 
nobility  of  character  which  entitles  him  to 
rank  with  the  world's  benefactors. 

'*  With  a  wide  Catholic  charity,  that  em- 
braced all  creeds  and  conditions  of  men,  his 
ear  was  ever  open  and  his  door  never  closed 
to  the  cry  of  pain  and  suffering. 

"  The  hospital,  which  he  established  as  a 
haven  of  refuge  for  the  sick  and  helpless,  re- 
mains as  a  monument  to  his  herculean  labors 
in  the  cause  of  duty;  but  his  best  monument 
will  ever  be  in  the  hearts  and  the  memory  of 
his  fellow  citizens. 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         281 

"  His  buoyant  and  cheerful  spirit  strug- 
gled manfully  under  a  load  of  debt  and 
grave  responsibility  incurred  for  others; 
but  the  task  was  too  great,  and  his  death 
cannot  but  be  regarded  as  a  voluntary  mar- 
tyrdom in  the  cause  of  charity.  His  life- 
work  deserves  from  us,  and  from  all  men, 
the  verdict  of  'Well  done!'  Now,  there- 
fore, be  it 

"  Resolved,  that  we  extend  our  heartfelt 
sympathy  to  his  relatives  and  friends,  and 
to  the  Church  of  which  he  was  so  long  a 
faithful  servant;  and  that  this  resolution  be 
spread  upon  the  minutes,  an  engrossed  copy 
thereof  transmitted  to  St.  Mary's  Church 
and  copies  furnished  to  the  press. 

"  Thos.  A.  McGowan,  Chairman;  Al. 
Bartlett,  Treasurer;  N.  W.  Bolster,  Secre- 
tary; O.  V.  Davis;  Ensign  McGill;  J.  C. 
McCook.'  " 

John  L.  Rees,  editor  of  the  Klondike 
Miner  of  Dawson  City,  paid  the  following 
graceful  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Father 
Judge,  in  an  article  contributed  to  Donahoe's 
Magazine  for  December,  1899: 

"  On  arriving  in  a  strange  city,  after  the 
first  general  impresion  has  been  formed,  one 
begins  to  single  out  striking  personalities 
and  mentally  associate  them  with  the  work 
for  which  their  presence  stands  in  the  com- 
munity. 


282  An  American  Missionary 

"  That  worth  commands  respect  from  ail 
classes,  even  in  a  mining  country,  was  evi- 
denced when  a  Missionary  priest  died  in 
Dawson  City.  .  .  .So  closely  was  he  identified 
with  the  highest  interests  of  the  Klondike 
region,  and  so  wide-spread  was  his  influence, 
that  no  description  of  the  place  would  be 
complete  without  reference  to  his  career. 

"  Probably  no  other  event  occurred  in 
Dawson  City  that  caused  so  general  a  sor- 
row to  be  felt  and  expressed,  as  the  passing 
away  of  Father  Judge,  the  good  man  who 
founded  this  hospital,  and  whose  warm 
heart,  good  deeds,  and  effective  works  of 
relief  of  the  poor,  sick,  and  afflicted,  will  ever 
be  remembered.  .  .  . 

"  Father  Judge  had  been  building  a  chapel 
in  connection  with  the  hospital,  and  his 
whole  heart  was  in  its  completion.  On  Sun- 
day, January  i,  1899,  the  New  Year,  for  the 
first  time,  he  was  able  to  say  Mass  in  the 
chapel,  and  for  six  days  he  celebrated  the 
sacred  ceremony.  On  the  seventh  day,  Sat- 
urday, January  7,  he  began  the  Mass,  but 
was  taken  ill  and  obliged  to  discontinue. 
He  never  rose  from  his  sick-bed,  and  never 
complained,  although  suffering  excruciating 
agony  during  a  considerable  part  of  the  time. 
To  his  most  intimate  friend,  George  Burns, 
who  had  been  with  him  ever  since  his  arrival 
on  the  field,  and  whom  he  loved  as  a  brother. 


Tributes  of  Respect  and   Affection         283 

he  said  that  he  would  die  on  Monday,  the 
i6th,  that  his  mother  had  died  thirty-three 
years  ago  on  the  same  day;  that  his  birth 
anniversary  fell  on  that  day,  and  that  he  felt 
his  life  would  close  then.  He  died  on  the  day 
he  predicted.  In  the  hearts  of  thousands  of 
the  people  of  the  frozen  North  the  good  he 
has  done  will  live  after  him." 

In  the  "  Semaine  Religieuse,"  of  Montreal, 
for  April  2nd,  1899,  appeared  this  expression 
of  the  sentiments  of  the  Sisters  in  charge  of 
St.  Mary's  Hospital: 

''  The  life  of  the  lamented  dead  was,  es- 
pecially since  his  arrival  in  these  remote 
regions,  but  one  series  of  heroic  acts  per- 
formed with  the  most  admirable  simplicity 
and  the  most  complete  forgetfulness  of  self. 
Hence  his  death  causes,  among  both  Catho- 
lics and  Protestants,  profound  regret;  and 
every  tongue  joins  in  the  unending  concert 
of  praise,  that  tells  of  his  piety,  his  lively 
faith,  his  unbounded  charity,  his  apostolic 
devotedness,  his  humility,  the  admirable 
qualities  of  his  heart  and  mind,  and  his 
ability  in  matters  of  business. 

"  The  funeral  of  the  *  Good  Father  '  took 
the  proportions  of  a  public  demonstration  of 
respect  and  gratitude.  It  was  amidst  senti- 
ments of  indescribable  emotion,  that  his 
mortal  remains  were  deposited  in  the  crypt 
of  the  church,  in  which  he  had  so  often  exer- 


284  An  American  Missionary 

cised  the  priestly  functions,  after  having 
himself  drawn  the  plan,  superintended  the 
building,  and  paid  all  the  cost  of  it." 

After  referring  to  the  hospital  as  Father 
Judge's  ''  work  of  predilection,"  the  writer 
continues :  ''  It  was  there  that  he  lived,  sleep- 
ing upon  a  hard  couch,  in  a  poor,  cold,  little 
room;  it  is  there  that  he  died,  in  the  odor  of 
sanctity,  in  the  midst  of  his  dear  patients, 
Catholic  and  Protestant,  men  who  had  come 
from  every  corner  of  the  globe  in  quest  of 
the  gold  of  the  Klondike. 

"  In  that  house,  how  many  souls  Father 
Judge  and  his  helpers,  the  Sisters  of  St.  Ann, 
devoted  religious  from  Canada,  have 
brought  back  to  God  and  to  the  practice  of 
their  religious  duties!  " 

A  lay  Brother  of  the  Society  of  Jesus,  who 
was  a  companion  of  the  Missionary,  thus  re- 
calls some  of  their  experience: 

"  Father  Judge's  death  impressed  me  in  a 
special  manner,  as  I  was  his  companion  in 
Alaska  for  three  years.  He  was  a  man  of 
faith,  courage,  and  charity.  The  tender  care 
he  took  of  the  sick  could  hardly  be  surpassed. 
In  the  winter  of  1892,  Rev.  Father  Tosi  was 
sick  unto  death.  We  all  thought,  at  Holy 
Cross,  that  we  were  going  to  lose  him,  and 
also  our  boy  Andrew,  who  died  afterwards. 
Father  Judge  and  I  took  turns  night  and  day 
nursing  them;  and  he  edified  me  greatly  by 


Tributes  of   Respect  and  Affection         285 

his  watchfulness.  His  great  faith  seems  to 
have  come  from  the  thought,  which  was 
always  in  his  mind,  that  he  was  doing  God's 
work.  I  remember  many  a  time  when  some 
accident  would  happen,  or  there  was  some 
difficulty  which  we  could  not  overcome,  he 
would  say:  'This  is  God's  work,  and  we 
must  succeed;  he  will  help  us  out.'  The  way 
in  which  God  did  help  us  at  these  times 
seemed  to  me  almost  miraculous.  I  cannot 
forget  the  night  and  day  we  spent  in  a  storm 
in  which  we  had  been  caught  on  Bering  Sea ; 
he  speaks  of  this  in  one  of  his  letters.  The 
tow-rope  tore  away  the  guard  work  over  the 
wheel  at  the  beginning  of  the  storm,  and  it 
had  to  be  repaired  in  the  heavy  weather.  The 
Father  in  his  concern  about  me,  who  was  on 
top  of  the  wheel  doing  what  I  could  to  repair 
the  damage,  forgot  all  about  himself  and  his 
own  danger.  Often  I  had  to  call  on  him  to 
hold  tight,  as  the  water  came  over  us ;  for, 
sometimes  when  the  steamer  would  rise  on 
the  crest  of  a  wave,  her  wheel  timbers  where 
he  was  standing  would  go  under  water.  But 
the  good  Father  forsfot  himself,  and  stood 
there  passing  me  boards,  ropes,  nails,  etc., 
and  again  and  again  exposed  himself  to  the 
greatest  danger.  His  courage  and  confi- 
dence in  God — for  he  often  called  on  me  to 
put  my  trust  in  God,  who  would  help  us — 
encouraged  me  very  much.    When  the  storm 


286  An   American   Missionary 

was  over,  he  gave  thanks  to  God  and  said, 
*  Brother,  I  thought  sometimes,  when  I  saw 
the  big  seas  coming  over  the  steamer,  that 
we  had  to  go  to  the  bottom.'  As  he  was  not 
a  man  to  spare  himself,  I  think  he  must  have 
shortened  his  days  by  excess  of  labor.  .  .  .  He 
will,  I  feel  sure,  greatly  help  the  poor  mission 
of  Alaska,  which  he  loved  so  well,  and  will 
be  a  guardian  angel  to  all  who  labor  on  it." 

The  Very  Rev.  Prefect  Apostolic  of  Alas- 
ka, in  one  of  his  letters,  gave  this  honorable 
testimony: 

"  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the  sudden 
death  of  our  beloved  Father  Judsfe  is  a  severe 
loss  to  our  mission.  We  had  hoped  that  he 
would  live  to  settle  everything  in  Dawson 
and  return  next  soring  to  our  territory, 
ready  for  new  combats  and  new  victories. 
He  was  not  yet  49  vears  of  a^^-e.  But  the  will 
of  God  be  done!  He  has  lived  lone  enoup'h 
to  do  a  p-re;^t  pnd  heroic  work,  which  will 
last,  thanks  to  the  zeal  of  the  Oblate  Fathers 
and  the  charity  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Ann*; 

*The  fulfilment  of  the  hope  here  expressed  is  haopily 
shown  in  this  simple  statement  taken  from  the  Catholic 
Directory. 

Vicariate- Apostolic     of     MArxENziE  —  Yukon     Dtstt^tct. 

Dawson,  St.  Mary's,  Rev.  A.  Lebert,  O.  M.  I.,  Rev.  G.  Eich- 
elsbacker,  assistant.  St.  Mary's  Hospital  and  Academy — 
11  Sisters  of  St.  Ann,  Sister  M.  Zenon,  dir. ;  pupils,  64; 
pati<=nfs,  165. 

Atlin,  B.  C,  att'^nded  from  White  Horse. 

Bonanza,  Rev.  Father  Lebert,  O.  M.  I. 


Tributes  of   Respect  and   Affection  287 

and  the  memory  of  this  noble  son  of  St.  Igna- 
tius, cherished  by  all,  will  be  a  credit  to  the 
Catholic  Church,  to  the  Society  of  Jesus,  to 
the  province  of  Maryland,  and  to  the  Mission 
of  Alaska." 

The  Paris  review  ''  Etudes,"  in  its  issue  of 
April  5th,  1900,  gave  this  interesting  commu- 
nication from  a  writer  who  was  in  Dawson 
City  in  July,  1899: — 

''  First  of  all,  we  must  speak  of  the  founder 
of  this  Mission,  Father  Judge,  S.  J.,  who,  al- 
though only  forty-nine  years  old  when  he 
died,  January  i6th,  1899,  was  nevertheless 
called  the  'old  Father'  or  the  'old  Priest;' 
so  much  had  he  worn  himself  out  in  the  serv- 
ice of  his  dear  miners.  All,  Catholics  and 
Protestants,  are  unanimous  in  extolling  his 
zeal  and  charity.  When  he  arrived  at  Daw- 
son (March,  1897)  with  the  first  pioneers,  he 
had  to  organize  everything;  not  only  what 
was  needed  for  religious  services,  but  also 

Dominion,  Rev.  Father  O.  Corbeil. 

Forty  Mile,  attended  from  Dawson. 

Gold  Run,  attended  from  Dominion. 

Hunker,  attended  from  Dawson. 

Lake  Bennett,  attended  from  White  Horse. 

Last  Chance,  attended   from   Dawson. 

Selkirk,  attended  from  White  Horse. 

Stewart,  attended  from  Dawson. 

Sulphur,  attended  from  Dominion. 

White  Horse,  Rev.  A.  Lefebvre,  O.  M.  L     School.  3  Sisters. 

of  St.  Ann,  Sister  M.  Didace,  dir. ;    pupils,  45. 
Missions  with  chapels,  9. 
Stations  without  chapels,  4. 
Catholic  population,  about  8,000. 


288  An   American   Missionary 

what  was  required  for  the  care  of  the  sick; 
for,  in  these  '  stampedes,'  as  they  are  called, 
these  races  for  gold,  how  many  poor  fellows 
fall  victims  either  to  the  cold  or  to  privations 
of  all  sorts! 

''With  the  aid  of  the  miners,  Father  Judge 
founded  a  hospital,  which  he  placed  under 
the  protection  of  the  Blessed  Virgin;  then, 
thanks  to  the  experience  that  he  had  gained 
before  he  entered  the  Society  of  Jesus,  he  set 
to  work  to  build  a  church,  which  is  quite 
beautiful. 

"During"  the  Winter  of  '97  and  '98,  the 
hospital  was  full  of  sick  men,  of  whom  the 
good  Father  himself  took  care;  he  made 
himself  all  things  to  all  without  distinction 
of  Catholic  or  Protestant.  And  how  he  was 
loved!  For  his  sake,  anyone  would  have 
given  anything  he  had.  One  day,  a  mes- 
senger from  the  hospital  went  to  a  store 
and  asked  for  an  article  that  was  the 
last  on  hand  and  could  not  be  had  else- 
where. The  price  was  very  high,  but 
the  thing  was  necessary  and  the  man 
was  going  to  pay  for  it,  when  the  store- 
keeper said : '  Is  it  for  Father  Judge  ?  '  '  Yes,' 
was  the  answer.  '  O,  then,  you  may  have  it 
for  nothing.'  And  there  are  many  cases  of 
the  kind.  When  the  Father  made  the  round 
of  the  wards,  how  well  he  was  received!  It 
it  true  that  he  scarcely  took  care  of  himself; 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         289 

he  always  wanted  to  see  that  the  sick  had  all 
that  they  needed.  '  You  see  the  old  Priest/ 
said  a  Canadian,  '  it  is  eleven  o'clock  (at 
night)  ;  he  is  going  to  make  the  round  of  the 
ward,  and  to-morrow  morning  at  three 
o'clock  he  will  come  again.' 

''  When  he  died,  the  mournmg  was  gen- 
eral. '  I  had  been  on  the  Creeks,  Father,' 
said  a  "  Boy"  to  me,  '  and  I  was  returning; 
when,  from  the  top  of  the  hill,  I  saw  the  flag 
of  the  hospital  at  half-mast.  I  asked  what 
was  the  matter;  and,  when  they  told  me  that 
Father  Judge  had  just  died,  I  left  everything 
and  ran  to  try  to  see  once  more  him,  whom 
we  all  loved  so  much.' 

''  And  now  his  brother  missionaries  are 
reaping  the  fruits  of  the  friendship  that  he 
gained.  He  rests  beneath  the  church  which 
he  built  and  which  is  the  most  prominent 
building  in  Dawson  City;  but  the  remem- 
brance of  him  remains  deeply  engraved  in  all 
hearts,  and  the  Catholic  Church  is  honored 
as  having  such  servants." 

Mr.  John  Mattler,  now  of  Denver,  Colo- 
rado, having  heard  somewhat  late  of  the 
preparation  of  this  work,  wrote: 

"  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  mingled  pleasure 
and  regret  that  I  heard  this:  pleasure,  be- 
cause of  the  promised  opportunity  of  reading 
this  book  which  will  naturally  possess  an 
extraordinary  interest   for  me,  and  regret, 


290  An  American  Missionary 

because  of  being  deprived  of  a  coveted  oppor- 
tunity of  contributing,  in  my  hurhble  way, 
some  interesting  data  that  may  now  be 
wanting. 

"  It  was  my  sad  but  highly  esteemed  privi- 
lege to  excavate  the  grave,  by  the  side  of  the 
altar  in  the  church  built  by  Father  Judge, 
in  which  his  remains  were  interred.  This  lov- 
ing task,  I  would  fondly  conjecture,  was  as- 
signed to  me,  because  of  my  known  devotion 
to  this  godly  man  of  most  saintly  character. 

"  It  was  my  proud  privilege  to  meet 
Father  Judge,  for  the  first  time,  in  Dawson, 
in  the  spring  of  1898.  From  that  time  until 
his  lamented  death,  I  met  him  almost  daily, 
and  learned  to  ardently  esteem  and  love  him, 
as  assuredly  did  all  who  had  the  inestimable 
fortune  of  knowing  him  at  all  intimately. 
Not  one  sentiment  have  I  ever  heard  uttered 
relating  to  Father  Judge,  that  was  not 
couched  in  the  warmest  terms  of  love,  vener- 
ation, and  praise. 

"  The  universal  love  and  admiration  that 
was  entertained  for  his  noble  character  was 
abundantly  manifested  at  the  time  of  his 
funeral  by  the  community  among  whom  he 
had  lived  and  for  whose  well-beins:,  spiritual 
and  temporal,  he  had  so  devotedly  labored. 
All  business  was  suspended  during  the  cele- 
bration of  the  funeral  services,  and  the  in- 
habitants of  Dawson  and  the  adjacent  min- 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         291 

ing-canips  ardently  vied  with  one  another 
in  honoring  his  blessed  memory. 

''  Probably  nothing  could  serve  to  so  strik- 
ingly and  justly  exemplify  this  universally 
esteemed  and  beloved  priest's  grandly  simple 
and  simply  grand  character,  as  did  his  de- 
meanor during  the  progress  of  the  fire  that 
destroyed  his  church  building  (in  the  month 
of  May,  '98,  v^as  it  not?)  and  his  childlike 
simple  remarks  at  a  later  hour  on  that  same 
day. 

''During  the  period  of  my  acquaintance 
with  Father  Judge  (always,  I  believe,  in  re- 
pose) his  countenance  ordinarily  wore  a 
strikingly  serious  and  somewhat  sad  expres- 
sion, due,  presumably,  to  the  pain  caused  by 
his  impaired  health,  and  the  very  arduous 
duties  of  his  self-imposed  tasks;  he  could 
not  be  prevailed  upon  to  spare  himself  in  the 
least,  and  those  nearest  to  him  were  well  and 
painfully  aware  that  he  habitually  denied 
himself  the  rest  necessary  to  recuperate  the 
physical  powers  he  so  devotedly  and  lavishly 
spent  in  ministering  to  the  well-being  of  all 
who  came  to  him  in  need  or  distress.  In 
conversation  and  his  intercourse  with  the 
public,  he  always  bore  himself  in  a  most 
edifyingly  cheerful  demeanor,  but  my  several 
weeks'  acquaintance  with  him  previous  to 
the  event  last  above  mentioned,  had  led  me 


292  An   American   Missionary 

to  regard  him  as  a  man  of  an  uncommonly 
serious  temperament  and  disposition. 

"  When  I  arrived  at  the  scene  of  the  fire 
alluded  to,  the  situation  was  alarmingly  crit- 
ical. The  church,  a  comparatively  commo- 
dious structure  of  thoroughly  seasoned 
spruce  logs,  was  completely  enveloped  in  the 
fiercely  devouring  flames,  and  the  hospital, 
of  similar  construction,  was  in  imminent 
danger  of  speedy  destruction.  The  two  build- 
ings were  joined  to  one  another  by  a  corner 
of  each,  and  when  it  is  considered  that  there 
was,  at  the  time,  absolutely  no  means  avail- 
able for  combating  the  ravages  of  the  flames, 
save  the  very  primitive  and  crude  one  of 
fetching  and  applying  water  by  pails,  it  will 
be  easily  appreciated  that  the  hospital  was 
only  and  barely  saved  by  the  most  devoted 
and  strenuous  efforts  of  the  entire  populace, 
which  had  turned  out  for  the  purpose,  almost 
to  a  man. 

"  The  countenances  of  this  assembled 
mass  of  sturdy  men,  who  were  heroically 
battling  with  the  destroying  element,  forci- 
bly depicted  the  awful  solicitude  and  anxiety 
that  filled  their  minds  and  hearts.  Imagine, 
then,  my  great  surprise  and  perplexity 
when,  espying  Father  Judge,  I  beheld  the 
only  gleam  of  tranquillity  and  unconcern- — 
yea,  even  mirthfulness — to  be  witnessed  in 
that   entire  assemblage.     Indeed,   the  dear 


Tributes  of   Respect  and  Affection         293 

Father's  features  seemed  radiant  with  emo- 
tions of  glad  cheer,  as  he  flitted  about  among 
the  almost  panic-stricken  attaches  of  the 
hospital  (principally  young  American  phy- 
sicians who  supplied,  in  their  persons,  the 
no  inconsiderable  corps  of  nurses)  and,  by 
words  and  actions,  made  light  of  their  in- 
tensely anxious  concern. 

*'  To  be  sure,  the  wise  and  noble  motive 
that  dictated  this  heroic  attitude  was  not 
difficult  to  discern;  but,  the  situation  was 
none  the  less  suggestive  of  the  superlatively 
marvelous. 

''  I  am  positive  that  no  occurrence  of  a 
purely  temporal  or  material  character, — 
affecting  the  interests  of  Father  Judge  ever 
so  disastrously, — was  more  likely  to  strike 
consternation  to  his  devoted  heart  than  was 
the  destruction  of  his  church  edifice,  and 
with  it  all  his  vestments,  altar  vessels,  &c., 
thus  depriving  him  of  his  ardently  cherished 
privilege  of  celebrating  the  Holy  Sacrifice 
of  the  Mass.  Particularly  as  the  fire  occurred 
on  Saturday  night,  one  naturally  expects  to 
find  this  most  fervent  priest  heart-broken  on 
the  ensuing  day.  However,  approaching 
him  at  about  noon  on  that  memorable  Sab- 
bath day,  I  again  beheld  his  lovable  counte- 
nance wreathed  with  the  same  cheering  and 
winsome  smile — and  greatly  did  I  marvel. 

"  It  may  be  remarked,  and  quite  justly  so, 


294  An  American   Missionary 

that  he  had  then  good  reason  to  congratulate 
and  fehcitate  himself  upon  the  fact  that  his 
hospital  had  been  saved  as  if  by  a  miracle, 
and  upon  the  most  fortunate  escape  from 
the  slightest  injury  of  the  more  than  a  score 
of  more  or  less  seriously  ill  inmates,  notwith- 
standing that  it  had  been  deemed  necessary 
to  hastily  remove  them  from  the  threatened 
building. 

"  Accosting  the  Father  and  commenting 
upon  his  surprisingly  cheerful  mood,  both 
at  the  time  that  the  fire  v^as  at  its  height  and 
at  the  (then)  present  moment,  he  promptly 
and  with  apparent  light-heartedness  re- 
marked: 'Ah,  well!  I  had  promised  our 
Lord  to  erect  for  Him  a  more  commodious 
temple,  and  he  probably  thought  I  would 
fail  to  keep  my  promise  unless  the  old  and 
inadequate  building  were  destroyed.'  Such, 
in  substance,  were  the  words  in  which  he, 
almost  playfully,  explained  his  heroic  and 
edifying  resignation  in  the  face  of  the  fact 
that  no  one  at  all  acquainted  with  his  finan- 
cial affairs  at  that  particular  period,  could 
understand  how  the  funds  for  the  erection 
of  a  new  building  were  to  be  realized  within 
any  reasonable  period  of  time. 

"  One  more  very  unusual  fact  is,  in  my 
opinion,  worthy  of  special  mention.  During 
Father  Judge's  pastorate  in  Dawson,  there 
was  not  one  penny  of  pew-rent  collected,  nor 


Tributes  of   Respect  and  Affection         295 

did  he  take  up  a  collection  at  any  of  his 
church  services,  except  in  a  single  instance, 
which  was  in  pursuance  of  a  special  request 
of  members  of  his  parish.  When  Father 
Judge's  successor  in  the  pastorate  (an  Oblate 
Father  from  Canada)  proposed  a  departure 
from  this  unique  policy  by  inaugurating  the 
practice  of  renting  the  church  pews — the 
practice  that  is  almost  if  not  quite  universal 
throughout  this  land — the  former  viewed 
this  course  with  a  pronounced  aversion,  re- 
marking to  the  writer  that  he  himself  would 
gladly  pay  for  all  the  pews,  if  the  new  pastor 
might  thus  be  persuaded  to  abandon  the 
idea  of  collecting  the  same  from  his  con- 
gregation/' 

The  next  tribute  is  from  the  pen  of  a  Re- 
ligious, who,  perhaps,  never  met  Father 
Judge,  but  who  seems  to  have  realized  vivid- 
ly his  generous  spirit. 

In  Sacred  Remembrance  of  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Judge,  S.  J, 
Ad  Majorem  Dei  Gloriant. 

Not  in  annals  penned  by  men 

Such  df'eds  as  his  are  known ; 
Angels  of  God  rehearse  his  works 

Before  the  eternal  throne. 

'Tis  said  he  died :    but  no,  he  lives  ^ 

Where  fadeless  joys  abound: 
Celestial   bliss   is   his   reward. 

His  mighty  works  are  crowned 

The  prayer  we  frame  dies  on  our  lips, 
His  life  was  so  sublime : 


296  An   American   Missionary 

Self-sacrifice  from  mom  to  night 
In  a  far-off  sunless  clime. 

The  savage  horde  on  every  side. 

What  claim  had  nature  there? 
Toil,  toil,  his  incessant  lot. 

His  only  solace  prayer. 

Fit  comrade  for  a  Xavier  he : 

But  saints  have  passed  through  fire; 

So,  we  will  pray:    Eternal  rest. 
Rest,  rest  where  naught  can  tire. 

The  following  expressive  poem,  by  Arnold 
F.  George,  of  Dawson,  was  written  not  long 
after  the  Missionary's  death,  and  pubHshed 
in  the  Yukon  Catholic.  It  was  reproduced 
in  the  San  Francisco  Monitor: 

The  world  was  in  a  fever,  men  mad  with  tales  of  gold. 
Crowned  heads  were  raised  to  listen;    and  timid  hearts  grew 

cold. 
And  college  savants  stopped  the  class — discussed  auriferous 

sand, 
And  preachers  dropped  their  Bibles  for  the  journals  of  the 
land. 

And  doctors  cheered  their  patients  with  the  tale  so  widely 

told, 
Of  where  the  rushing  rivers  were  banked  by  banks  of  gold. 
And  bootblacks,  princes,  magnates,  restless  tossed  by  dreams 

of  wealth, 
On  the  altar  to  Dame  Fortune  cast  their  youth,  their  fortunes 
—health. 

By  Pelly  Banks,  past  Ramparts,  o'er  Chilcoot's  stormy  height, 
The    snow    was    black    with    moving    men,    like   locusts    in   a 

flight— 
An  exodus  more  mighty  than  that  by  Moses  led  — 
A  miracle  but  second  to  Elisha,  raven-fed. 

And  listen  to  their  speaking,  as  they  draw  their  loaded  sleds. 
With  'feebled  frames  so  famine  pinched;   and  note  their  low- 
bowed  heads. 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         297 

Not   one   but   deep    is    thinking  —  with   a    heart   as   black    as 

night  — 
How  he'll  leave  the  "  other  fellow  "  by  his  prowess  and  his 

might. 

How  he'll  pass  him  in  the  night-time;    how  he'll  neither  eat 

nor  sleep; 
How  he'll  get  there  first,  "  by  heaven !  "   if  he  run  or  if  he 

creep. 
Not  one  a  kindness  showing;    not  one  with  aught  to  spare 
To  prove  the  God  in  human  nature  —  reciprocate  our  Father's 

care. 

Not  one!    but  we  are  hasty.     See  yon   form   all  dressed  in 

black ; 
Sled  ropes  over  shoulders,  and  weakly  bended  back. 
Observe  that  halting  figure^  eyes  ablaze,  but  not  with  greed. 
Fearful  —  anxious  —  half-provided   with   the  goods   which   he 

will  need. 

On  the  frozen,  darkened  river,  silent  wends  this  halting  form, 
Southward,  mile  by  mile,  it  travels,  never  heeding    cold    or 

storm ; 
On  that  face  a  holy  smiling  —  holy  purpose  in  that  heart; 
Not  a  gold-mine  he  is  after;    not  dreams  of  wealth  his  pulses 

start. 

On  those  lips  a  prayer  is  trembling:    "Grant  me  strength, 

Lord,  for  my  task, 
"Thy  lost  sheep  I  fain  would  succor,  a  few  days  more  is  alt 

I  ask. 
"Nerve    this    feeble,    failing    temple;     gird    me,    Lord,    with 

strength  Thine  own, 
"Thine,  O  Lord,  the  glory  ever;    Thine,  O  Lord,  and  Thine 

alone." 

Then  with  strength  that's  more  than  human,  Dawson  finds 

him  there  at  last; 
Hundreds  sick  and  dying  round  him,  sands  of  life  are  ebbing 

fast. 
In   a  tent,   without  assistance,   moves   he   fast   from   man   to 

man; 
Knows  no  creed  and  knows  no  color,  be  he  black,  or  white, 

or  tan. 


298  An   American   Missionary 

Mines  of  Monte  Cristo  round  him  —  wealth  by  millions  to  be 

had; 
Not  one  tfiought  of  earthly  treasure  —  for  the  gold  that  makes 

men  mad 
Takes  healing  unguents,  wholesome  tonics,   soothing  potions 

from  the  sled. 
He's   cook   and   launderer,  nurse  and  doctor,   prays   for  the 

sick,  inters  the  dead. 

Sec  those  buildings  rise  around  him  —  five  hundred  beds  and 

each  one  filled; 
See  him  give  his  life  for  sick  ones.     Day,  or  night,  when  all 

is  stilled, 
On  his  couch  a  moment  lying,  but  no  sleep  for  wearied  eyes; 
See   him   sink  at  last   exhausted  —  welcome   rest  —  the  good 

man  dies. 

Died  ?    Yes,  dead ;  and  how  we  miss  him,  miss  his  heartsotnc, 

cheery  voice; 
Miss   this   simple,   earnest   Christian,   over  whom   the   saints 

rejoice. 
Priest  he  was,  but  more  than  priestly;   man  he  was,  but  more 

than  man ; 
Christ-taught  pity  played  his  heart-strings  —  fill  his  place  no 

other  can. 


That  the  sentiments  expressed  in  Mr. 
George's  last  stanza,  have  not  been  blotted 
out  even  by  the  great  destroyer  Time,  is 
evidenced  by  the  articles  with  w^hich  we  shall 
end  this  narrative.  They  are  taken  from  the 
*'  Yukon  Catholic  "  of  November,  1903,  and 
"  The  Northern  Light  ''  of  Dawson,  July, 
1904 — fiwt  years  after  the  close  of  the  good 
priest's  life — a  fact  that  has  its  significance. 

From  the  "  Yukon  Catholic  ":— 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         299 

"FATHER   JUDGE    MONUMENT. 

"The  memorial  stone  of  the  late  Father 
Judge  has  at  last  come  to  destination.  Dis- 
tance and  delays  on  the  way  have  caused  the 
public  to  wait  for  it  much  longer  than  was 
at  first  anticipated.  In  fact,  it  was  in  1901, 
on  St.  Patrick's  day,  that  a  concert  was  given 
for  the  purpose  of  having  some  monument 
erected  to  the  memory  of  the  devoted  and 
beloved  priest,  whose  mortal  remains  are 
lying  under  the  chancel  in  St.  Mary's 
Church.  However,  although  at  a  late  hour, 
his  numerous  friends  and  admirers  will  be 
pleased  to  hear  that  a  fitting  monument 
now  marks  his  last  resting-place.  It  will 
remain  there  to  speak  to  future  generations 
of  his  love  of  the  miner  and  of  the  gratitude 
of  the  latter. 

"  The  monument  consists  of  a  solid  white 
Italian  marble,  cut  in  the  shape  of  a  cross. 
A  beautiful  lily  is  carved  at  the  intersection 
of  the  arms  of  the  cross,  and  at  the  base  the 
old  epitaph  is  engraved  in  gilt  letters  in 
Latin,  the  translation  of  which  is  as  follows: 

"  '  Here  lies  the  body  of  Father  Wm.  H. 
Judge,  S.  J.,  a  man  full  of  charity,  who,  with 
the  co-operation  of  all,  here  first  erected  a 
house  for  the  sick  and  a  temple  for  God;  and 
who,  being  mourned  by  all,  died  piously  in 
the  Lord,  the  i6th  of  January,  1899.'  " 


300  An  American   Missionary 

From  "  The  Northern  Light,"  Dawson, 
July,  1904. 

"  A   TRIBUTE  TO  REV.  FATHER  JUDGE. 

"  No  pantheon  of  grained  marble  received 
his  remains.  Instead,  he  rests  beneath  the 
bitter,  marbled  skies  of  the  North-land.  No 
shaft  of  gray  marble,  no  sculptor's  master- 
piece marks  the  spot  where  tenderly  we  laid 
him  away.  Yet  were  tears  jewels,  his  grave 
amid  the  Dawson  boulders  were  a  mound  of 
sparkling  brilliants,  gem  vying  with  gem  in 
flashing  fire  to  speak  of  some  good  deed  of 
him  who  lay  beneath.  If  deeds  of  kindness 
were  stone,  Father  Judge's  mountainous 
memorial  were  even  then  inadequate. 
Neither  '  storied  urn  '  or  '  animated  bust,' 
a  thousand  times  repeated,  would  express 
the  height,  the  depth,  the  length,  the  breadth 
of  this  man's  Christian  self-forgetfulness, 
nor  a  tithe  of  the  love  borne  his  memory  by 
the  twenty  thousand  early  Klondikers  who 
enjoyed  a  momentary  acquaintance.  This 
army  of  Klondikers,  wandering  over  the  face 
of  the  earth  today  with  the  endless  unrest  of 
the  gold-seeker,  too  often,  alas!  cherish  in 
their  breasts  but  a  single  gentle  recollection 
of  their  struggle  in  the  icy  North.  But  that 
memory  shall  be  his  monument ;  an  adequate 
reward  must  be  left  to  a  higher  power. 

"  Father  Judge — his  is  a  much  more  pre- 


Tributes  of  Respect  and  Affection         301 

tentious  title — but  it  is  as  Father  Judge  his 
memory  is  treasured  by  so  many  sorts  and 
classes  of  men  stampeded  to  Dawson.  His 
flock  of  Alaska  miners  moved  in  a  body  up- 
river  to  the  new  gold-fields  of  the  Troandik. 
A  pale-faced  priest,  drawing  a  heavily  loaded 
sled  like  the  miners,  might  have  been  seen 
trailing  wearily  behind,  on  the  ice  of  the 
frozen  river.  The  frail  figure  bended  over 
the  ropes  as  eagerly,  but  with  far  less 
strength,  than  was  to  be  seen  in  the  miners 
ahead.  We  know  now  that  the  mark  of 
death  was  upon  him.  It  is  understood  better 
to-day  what  that  stampede  cost  the  black- 
robed  figure  travehng  along  in  the  darkness 
of  the  Arctic  winter  to  the  place  already 
named  Dawson.  Arrived  in  Dawson,  sleds 
were  hastily  unpacked  of  their  treasures,  for 
food  was  very  scarce.  Then  it  was  seen 
Father  Judge  had  loaded  himself  up  with 
bottles  and  boxes — medicines,  potions, 
salves  and  bandages,  with  scarcely  sufificient 
food  for  himself  to  last  a  week.  Scarcely 
anything  for  himself;  those  medicines  and 
remedies  were  too  valuable  for  the  shep- 
herd's use;  all  were  for  his  fiock. 

"  Rapidly  a  tent  was  erected  where  now 
stands  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  Hasty  work 
was  necessary,  for  already  the  sick  and  dying 
were  beginning  to  pour  down  from  creeks 
and   hills,   needing   quick   assistance   before 


302  An  American   Missionary 

death  should  claim  them  prematurely. 
Father  Judge's  tent  became  two  tents,  and 
then  three,  and  all  filled,  with  but  a  weakly, 
yet  luminous-faced  priest,  half  the  time 
alone,  to  act  in  the  capacity  of  cook  and 
launderer,  nurse  and  doctor,  to  pray  with 
the  sick  and  inter  the  dead.  Yes,  it  was  the 
feeble  pick  of  Father  Judge  that  more  than 
once  made  the  grave,  he  who  sledded  the 
remains  of  some  unfortunate  thither,  prayed 
fervently  over  them  awhile,  whether  they 
were  the  remains  of  Catholic  or  anti-Cath- 
olic, covered  the  rough  box  with  the  frozen 
chunks  of  dirt  mingled  with  snow,  and  with 
the  sign  of  the  cross,  left  the  remains  alone 
with  an  Arctic  winter  and  their  God.  Yes, 
it  was  Father  Judge  who,  night  and  day, 
without  rest,  ministered  from  tent  to  tent, 
sometimes  with  help,  but  oftener  alone, 
cheering  the  dying,  jocose  with  the  convales- 
cent, feeding  the  food  prepared  with  his  own 
hands,  and  towards  the  end  of  the  winter 
administering  the  simple  remedies  gathered 
from  bushes  and  boughs;  for  the  sled-load 
of  drugs  was  exhausted  by  the  scurvy  which 
beset  the  illy-prepared  miners  everywhere. 
It  was  he  who,  when  time  could  be  snatched 
from  prayers  at  the  bedsides,  begged  from 
cabin  to  cabin  over  the  new  town  for  the 
flour,  the  blankets,  and  the  grave-clothes 
needed  at  the  tent  hospital  on  the  hill. 


Tributes  of   Respect  and   Affection         303 

"  So  we  built  him  a  liospital  of  logs,  and 
having  covered  him  and  his  patients  with 
a  roof  and  provided  them  with  stoves, 
begged  him  husband  his  failing  strength, 
and  grow  robust  once  more,  as  before  he 
froze  himself  going  to  the  headwaters  of 
Forty  Mile  to  hold  services.  He  consented 
to  occupy  a  board  couch  with  a  piece  of  car- 
pet for  a  rug — the  beds  were  all  needed  by 
the  500  patients  now  lying  about  him. 
Night  and  day  he  passed  from  bed  to  bed 
as  ever,  demanding  of  his  nurses  that  they 
call  him  whenever  he  might  be  wanted  by 
any  patient,  no  matter  how  unreasonable  or 
irrational  the  demand  for  his  presence,  and 
then  suddenly  he  went  to  bed  himself — to 
die.  He  had  been  nearer  death  throughout 
it  all  than  had  been  ninety  of  every  hun- 
dred of  his  beloved  sick.  His  loving  minis- 
trations had  been  more  often  than  not  to 
great  fellows  nearer  rugged  health  than  him- 
self. The  Angel  of  Death  had  been  his  con- 
stant companion  every  hour  and  every 
minute  while  he  had  wrestled  for  the  lives  of 
others.  And  he  who  had  not  lain  in  a  bed 
for  years,  went  to  bed  to  die.  Cheerful  and 
cheery  to  the  last,  he  forbade  tears  at  his 
bedside,  and  himself  comforted  those  who 
had  come  to  sympathize  with  him  in  his  sick- 
ness. They  gathered  to  pray  with  him;  he 
prayed  for  them.     In  almost  his  last  breath, 


304  An  American   Missionary 

he  asked  for  his  sick  ones,  and  his  last  re- 
joicing over  things  worldly  was  for  the  un- 
expected recovery  of  some  of  his  more  hope- 
less cases. 

''His  epitaph  should  be: — 'Here  lies  a 
simple,  earnest  Christian.  Greater  love  hath 
no  man  than  this :  that  he  lay  down  his  life 
for  his  friends.'  " 


THE  END. 


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are 

subject 

to 

change. 

THE     LIFE     AND     LETTERS    OF 

JUST    DE    BRETENIERES 

{^pronounced  Bret-on-yair) 

Martyred    in    Korea.    March    8,    1866. 


Adapted  from  the  French  by  the 
Very  Reverend  Monsignor  John  J.  Dunn. 


This  volume  contains  230  pages,  is  generously 
illustrated,  and  substantially  bound  in  maroon- 
colored  cloth. 


This  is  a  dollar  book,  which  we  are 
privileged  to  sell  for  50  cents.     Postage  10  cents. 


Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
MARYKNOLL  OSSINING  P.  O..  N.  Y. 


field  JIfar  tales 

A  companion  volume  to  the  Stories  already 
announced. 

Twenty  Short  Stories,  of  which  the  Brooklyn 
Tablet  says; 

Up  at  the  New  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 
the  purpose  of  educating  the  Catholic  public  of  America 
in  the  matter  of  its  duty  to  the  foreign  missions,  goes 
on  apace.  Month  after  month  the  brilliant  Field  Afar 
magazine  comes  from  the  printing-press  to  the  homes  of 
American  Catholics  and  quietly  fans  the  flames  of  enthu- 
siasm. Already  there  is  a  glowing  response  in  the 
material  growth  of  this  venture,  while  vocations  among 
American  youth  and  a  broadened  outlook  on  the  world 
are  even  now  in  evidence.  The  monthly  story  of  the 
missions,  fresh  from  the  Orient,  is  hardly  surpassed  by 
the  bright  little  fictional  tales  that  are  written  with  an 
eye   for   propaganda. 

The  volume  before  us  is  the  second  collection  of  these 
breezy  tales.  It  is  most  welcome  and  having  a  definite 
purpose,   will,   we  believe,   produce  fruit. 

The  tales  attributed  to  Fr.  John  Wakefield  are  clear 
and  terse  echoes  of  "what  might  have  been"  if  American 
Catholics  were  interested  in  the  evangelization  of  the 
Orient.  Some  of  the  stories  are  by  a  Teresian  of  Mary- 
knoll.  These  also  strike  home  and  sound  as  if  they 
were  founded  on  fact.  The  many  dramatic  incidents 
that  daily  come  to  our  shores  from  China  and  Japan, 
furnish  the  main  theme  of  the  tales,  and  the  material 
is    well    handled. 

NOTES 
Binding         .         .         .       Cloth  stamped  in  red 
Pages       ......  163 

Full  Page  Illustrations     .  .  .  16 

Price         .....  Fifty  Cents 

Postage Ten  Cents 

Address : 
The  Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary 

MARYKNOLL  :  OSSINING  P.O.,N.  Y> 


a    iWobern     jWartpr 


(New  Edition) 


:S 


THE    LIFE     AND     LETTERS     OF 

BLESSED    THEOPHANE     VENARD 

Alumnus  of  the  Paris   Foreign   Mission  Society 


Stories;  from  ^i)t  jFielb  ^far 

A   (]harmin^    Gift 

Fifteen  Short  Stories  bearing  on  the  subject  of   Foreign 
Missions.     A  long-felt  want  supplied. 


This  book  has  160  pages  and  17  illustrations.  It  Is  most  at- 
tractively bound  in  yellow  cloth,  with  cover  design  stamped 
in  blue  ink. 

Price,    only    Fifty    Cents 

(Postage  Ten  Cts.) 

Address: 

The    Catholic    Foreign    Mission    Seminary 

Maryknoll     :      :      :    OSSINING   P.  O.,    ^.  Y. 


Letter  written  by  Fr.  Venard  from  his  Cage. 

January  20,  1861. 
My  very  dear,  most  honored  and  much-loved  Father:— 

I  have  not  had  to  endure  torture  like  many  of  my  friends.  A  slight 
sabre-stroke  will  separate  my  head  like  the  spring  flower  which  the  gar- 
dener cuts  for  his  pleasure.  We  are  all  flowers  planted  on  this  earth, 
which  God  gathers  in  His  own  time,  one  a  little  earlier  and  one  a  little 
later.  One  is  as  the  purple  rose,  another  as  the  virgin  lily,  another  the 
humble  violet. 


From  His  Eminence^  Cardinal  Farley 

"I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  making  me 
acquainted  with  'A  MODERN  MARTYR.* 
I  think  it  is  the  most  fascinating  book  I  have 
read  in  a  long  time.  I  can  hardly  put  it  out 
of  my  hands,  and  have  finished  reading  half  of 
it  already.  I  have  instructed  the  President  of 
our  Cathedral  College  to  place  a  copy  in  the 
hands  of  each  of  our  petits  seminaristes,  and  I 
feel  convinced  that  no  better  book  could  be 
given  them  for  their  spiritual  reading." 


NOTE. 

The  life  of  THEOPHANE  VENARD.  published  under 
the  title  "A  Modern  Martyr,"  is  a  book  of  about  260  pp., 
illustrated  and  bound  in  cloth. 

Price,  50  Cents.  Postage,   10  Cents 

CATHOLIC  FOREIGN  MISSION  SEMINARY 
MaryknoU  Ossining  P.  0.,  New  York 


THE  FIELD  AFAR  Is  the  organ  of  the 
Catholic  Foreign  Mission  Seminary,  now 

established  in  its  permanent  home  at  Mary- 
knoll,  Ossining  P.  O.p  N.  Y 

It  has  attracted  world-wide  notice  since  it 
began  its  mission  in  1907,  and  its  subscribers 
often  say  that  they  read  it  from  cover  to 
cover.  

SUBSCRIPTION  RATES  FOR  THE 
FIELD  AFAR 

-    ,         .    ^.        Domestic  50c  Yearly 
Ordinary  Subscription,  Foreign  60c  Yearly 

Associate  Subscription,  including  a  share 
in  the  works  and  suffrages  of  the  Catholic 
Foreign  Mission  Society,  One  Dollar  a  year 

SPECIAL    RATES    FOR    SCHOOLS, 

SODALITIES,  SOCIETIES,  ETC. 
For  One  Year  to  Any  Single  Address: 

10  copies  (twelve  issues)  -  -  $4.00 
25  copies  (twelve  issues)  -  -  ^O-OO 
50  copies  (twelve  issues)         -         -         20.00 

100  copies  (twelve  issues)         -         -         40.00 

Address:  The  Field  Afar, 

(MaryknoU)  Ossining  P.  P.,  N.  Y. 


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